People Advisory Services - Global Payroll Operate - US Payroll - Tax Services Manager

Tax – National Tax – EDGE – PAS – Global Payroll Operate – US Payroll – Tax Services Manager  

Ernst & Young LLP's National Tax and EY EDGE practices are made up of teams of professionals providing specific tax technical services to US and global clients. EDGE stands for Exceptional Delivery and Growth Engine because this team operates in a technical environment with deep process and service delivery experience that distinguishes the EY organization in the marketplace. 

The opportunity

Our Global Payroll Operate practice focuses on helping our clients effectively manage their global payroll needs proactively and responsibly in 150+ countries. Our quality service and technical network enable you to help clients reduce inefficiencies, mitigate risk and drive process improvement within their payroll functions. We believe that by managing clients' payroll obligations, we can make a critical difference, and you'll be at the heart of this mission.

Our market-leading approach combines extensive local payroll service experience with a standard global payroll compliance and implementation methodology. With engagements involving a few countries or many, you will have the opportunity to provide clients an integrated, consistent, quality service that unlocks the potential of the payroll function across the entire process. 

Your key responsibilities

As a Tax Services Manager, US Payroll Operate, you will lead end‑to‑end US payroll service delivery with a strong focus on client satisfaction and operational excellence. In this role, you will oversee payroll processing activities, manage resources, and ensure performance against client‑defined KPIs. You will support the project management of system enhancements, new service rollouts, and client‑driven initiatives. Additionally, you will contribute to continuous innovation by helping develop next‑generation payroll solutions and improving project delivery tools. Key capabilities include effective delivery of payroll services using SAP ECP and PCC, strong client and vendor management, resource planning, and the development and maintenance of process documentation.

• Managing large US payroll projects or recurring payroll delivery processed on SAP payroll software ensuring timeliness and accuracy, which will require ownership, project management, decisions and resolution, including the escalation of client, central support teams and internal country issues
• Provide/drive innovation and continuous improvement for our global payroll solutions or tools
• Developing relationship with clients and become their trusted advisor
• Train, mentor and develop the team to provide them with required US payroll or technical knowledge to grow within the team
• Working, directing and resolving questions from local countries by working with various central support teams and payroll software vendors
• Identifying opportunities to improve our project delivery tools and templates
• Building on technical competence by keeping up to date on global trends, developments and regulations and applying them to moderately complex situations and undertaking non-routine, complex project-type work as requested by clients
• Defining future process after Go live and stabilization
• Raise red flags on any delays during implementations
• Manage EY-internal stakeholders, client and vendor communications and relationships
• Prepare SOPs and workflow document for client payroll processing

• Work with other managers towards learned lessons and opportunities for improvements for future implementation
• Support Senior Manager in managing business development conversations, practice management and engagement economics

Skills and attributes for success

• US Payroll process knowledge (including implementation and recurring payroll operations) using SAP
• Managing multiple payroll deliveries at a time using SAP as a payroll processing system
• Working knowledge of different SAP systems and modules to be able to drive meaningful conversations with clients and SAP technology support teams
• Juggling projects and priorities as per agreed deadlines and escalations
• Testing management skills
• Data conversion reconciliation experience
• Strong analytical skills, problem-solving ability and attention to detail
• Payroll Parallel testing experience  

• Project management skills
• Large payroll implementation project experience with SAP as payroll solution  

To qualify for the role, you must have

• 5 years of end to end payroll processing and payroll delivery management on SAP ECP, PCC and other modules
• 10+ years of US payroll processing and compliance experience
• Bachelor's degree and relevant post-graduate qualification, preferably with an emphasis in Sciences, MIS, Finance or Accounting
• US Payroll implementation and project management experience
• Possess an approved HR or business-related certification, or is actively progressing toward one-including SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP; PHR, SPHR, or GPHR through HRCI; Certified Payroll Professional (APA)
• Strong numbers acumen, including analytical abilities and proficient skills in Excel, MS Access, SQL Queries, or other leading data analytics tools in the market
• Experience in payroll integration with leading global HCM platform such as Workday, SAP HR, SuccessFactors or Oracle
• Excellent organizational skills with a proactive approach to problem solving and attention to detail
• Strong analytical, project management, and organizational skills, with a detail-oriented approach
• Willingness to travel as needed, and working in a balanced hybrid environment 

Ideally, you'll also have

• SAP technical and configuration knowledge
• Presentation and leading a demo capabilities
• Benefit/HR integration project experience
• Working knowledge of GL reconciliation

• Payroll consulting experience as a senior functional consultant, testing lead and /or project manager for medium to large payroll projects 
• Prior experience with client facing service industry
• Ready to work flexible schedule as per client requirements 

What we look for

We're interested in professionals with the drive to take on new responsibilities and projects. You'll need the confidence to speak up with your own creative thoughts on a wide range of areas. You'll also have the opportunity to achieve your potential by being given professional development opportunities and experiences with clients across geographies. If you're keen to play a pivotal role within a highly focused global payroll operate implementation team, this role is for you.