Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

We are looking for the world’s best Payroll Manager to come lead our world’s best Payroll team!  Is that you?  Maybe.  Are you a wizard at doing multistate payroll for 8,500 employees with multiple FEINs, pay periods, and a mix of union and non-union with a sprinkle of international thrown in just for fun?  Do people tell you that you’re the life of the party when you start talking about FLSA and Regular Rate of Pay calculations?  Were you always disappointed that Sesame Street never said “Today’s episode was brought to you by the letter W and the number 2”?  If so, then maybe this IS the job for you, so let’s talk!

The Payroll Manager is an expert-level, hands-on leader who strengthens operational discipline, anticipates risk, applies analytical judgment to complex payroll scenarios, and partners effectively with stakeholders across HR, Finance, vendors, and Legal to resolve issues and continuously enhance payroll service delivery.

This role is located at our Arden Hills, MN Corporate headquarters (hybrid work arrangement each week that includes Tues/Weds/Thursday days in the office).

Payroll Operations Leadership

• Lead end-to-end payroll processing for weekly and biweekly payroll cycles across multiple U.S. states, countries, and legal entities, ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of employee payments.
• Manage and develop a team of Payroll Specialists responsible for payroll preparation, validation, and issue resolution; set clear expectations and reinforce a culture of accountability, precision, and service.
• Provide expert oversight for complex pay scenarios for salaried and hourly manufacturing populations, including union payrolls, shift differentials, and other nuanced earnings and deductions.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including multi-state taxation requirements and wage and hour considerations; maintain current knowledge of relevant requirements and impacts to payroll operations.
• Demonstrate professional presence and credibility in high-stakes discussions, including partnering with internal and external counsel on sensitive payroll matters as needed

Payroll Systems and Technology

• Serve as the functional leader for payroll technology including Workday Payroll and Workday Time Tracking; ensure system design and process execution enable compliant, reliable payroll outcomes.
• Lead and influence system enhancements, testing, and release readiness activities to ensure continuity of payroll operations and minimize risk during change.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Collaborate closely with HR, Finance, Supply Chain, and HR Technology teams to ensure alignment between payroll processing, workforce data, and financial reporting requirements.
• Manage relationships with payroll vendors and service providers to ensure service delivery meets expectations and supports business continuity.
• Provide payroll SME support for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures including due diligence, payroll compliance assessment, and payroll integration planning.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll reliability, efficiency, controls, and employee experience; identify opportunities to simplify processes and reduce manual work.

Required Education / Experience / Knowledge:

 4-year degree or equivalent experience and 10+ years of progressive payroll experience in large, complex, multi-state payroll environments. 3+ years of leadership experience managing payroll teams and delivering reliable payroll operations in deadline-driven environments. Deep expertise in U.S. payroll compliance, wage and hour considerations, and multi-state taxation; ability to interpret requirements and translate them into operational controls and decisions. Strong analytical capability and operational judgment; demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and drive issues to resolution across stakeholders. 

Preferred: CPP certification. Workday Payroll and Workday Time Tracking experience

Salary: $107,680-$161,520

In most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges. 

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About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

We provide a broad portfolio of benefits to keep you and your family at your best. Land O'Lakes is Where Your Future Takes Root.

Land O’Lakes and our global entities support diversity in employment practices.

Neither Land O’Lakes, nor its affiliates or search firms, will ever contact you and ask for confidential information over the phone or in email. If you receive a call or email like this, please do not provide the information being requested.    

                                                                                                  

If you need to submit a reasonable accommodation request to complete the employment application process, please call the HR Solution Center at 844-LOL-HR4U (844-565-4748) M-F 8:00am-4:30pm CT.