Senior Vice President, Global Payroll & Payroll Systems Business Owner

About the role

We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging. Consistent with this approach, we hire the best qualified candidates for all positions.

Edelman is looking for a Senior Vice President, Global Payroll & Payroll Systems to lead the evolution of our global payroll operations, technology, and service delivery strategy. This is an opportunity for an experienced payroll leader to shape how we deliver accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll services across a complex, global organization.

As part of our Financial Shared Services (FSS) team, you'll play a central role in modernizing our payroll operations, building scalable processes, and helping drive our multi-phase global Workday implementation. You'll partner with senior leaders across Finance, People, and IT to strengthen our payroll capabilities, improve the employee experience, and create a foundation for continued global growth.

Who You Are

You're a strategic, collaborative leader who brings deep expertise in global payroll operations and a passion for building better ways of working. You understand the importance of getting the fundamentals right while identifying opportunities to simplify processes, strengthen controls, and leverage technology.

You're comfortable navigating complex, matrixed organizations, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading teams through change. You balance big-picture thinking with operational accountability and know how to bring people together to deliver meaningful, sustainable results.

What You'll Do

• Lead global payroll operations: Oversee payroll delivery across the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland, ensuring accurate, timely, compliant, and efficient services while establishing a scalable approach for additional markets.
• Shape our global payroll strategy: Define and evolve our payroll operating model, service delivery approach, and global Center of Excellence, balancing consistent standards with local regulatory requirements.
• Drive Workday transformation: Serve as the senior payroll business owner for Edelman's multi-phase Workday implementation, guiding business requirements, process design, readiness, adoption, and ongoing optimization.
• Modernize processes and technology: Champion automation, self-service, data integrity, and continuous improvement while shaping the long-term payroll technology strategy, including Workday and ADP.
• Strengthen compliance and controls: Establish effective payroll governance, reconciliations, reporting, and audit-ready controls while proactively managing operational risk and business continuity.
• Build and develop high-performing teams: Lead, coach, and develop payroll professionals, fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
• Partner across the business: Collaborate with Finance, People, IT, Legal, Tax, Treasury, and regional stakeholders to align payroll capabilities with business priorities and regulatory requirements.
• Champion an inclusive culture: Embrace diverse perspectives, demonstrate respectful conduct, and promote conscious inclusion and continuous learning across teams and partnerships.

Basic Qualifications

• A minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in payroll and/or finance operations leadership, including experience leading global teams in complex, matrixed organizations.
• Experience overseeing payroll operations, compliance, controls, and service delivery across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience managing major payroll provider relationships, including ADP.
• A bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Information Systems, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading payroll operations at a VP level or equivalent, with a track record of developing global teams and driving organizational transformation.
• Strong working knowledge of payroll tax, statutory requirements, and regulatory compliance across the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland.
• Experience designing global payroll operating models, establishing Centers of Excellence, and driving process standardization and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with Workday HCM implementations, payroll integrations, and enterprise payroll technology strategy.
• Expertise in payroll data governance, operational risk, internal controls, reporting, analytics, and global data privacy.
• Ability to influence executive stakeholders, manage cross-functional initiatives, and translate business priorities into measurable operational outcomes.
• Strong financial acumen, strategic judgment, communication, and people leadership skills. Advanced degrees and relevant professional certifications, such as CPP, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or Workday, are a plus.

• $180,000 - $240,000 annually
• #LI-EB1

Pay and benefits

An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, travel requirements, revenue-based metrics, any contractual agreements, and business or organizational needs. The range listed is just one component of DJEH's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, a Paid Time Off policy, and region-specific benefits.

DJEH offers a wide range of benefits

medical and dental insurance, vision, 401K, life insurance, disability insurance, paid time off, travel assistance and wellness programing.