US Payroll Manager

About the role

Lydech, Inc. designs and manufactures specialty engineered non-woven filtration media, advanced technical materials, industrial thermal insulating solutions, and thermal and acoustical barriers for heat abatement and sound dampening applications. Lydech serves several markets with most products sold to original equipment manufacturers and tier-one suppliers.

The Thermal Acoustical Solutions Segment offers a full line of innovative engineered products to assist in noise and heat abatement within the automotive and industrial markets. The business manufactures acoustical damping and thermal insulating solutions comprised of fiber and metal based composite product constructions.

These products are typically found in the interior (dash insulators), underbody (wheel well, fuel tank, exhaust) and under hood (engine compartment) of passenger vehicles, heavy duty trucks, recreational vehicles as well as in other industrial applications. The segment employs approximately ~1400 employees with operations in the U.S., Germany, France, and China.

Job Summary

The Payroll Manager is responsible for leading all US payroll operations to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant processing of all payroll functions for the organization. This role oversees payroll systems, establishes best-practice processes, and provides strategic insights to senior leadership. The Payroll Manager acts as the primary subject-matter expert for payroll policy, regulatory compliance, processing and reporting while driving continuous improvement across payroll operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Set and execute the payroll strategy for multi-state U.S. operations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement for approximately 1,000-person workforce
• Ensure compliance with payroll laws, tax reporting, labor regulations, and SOX/operational controls
• Ensure accurate, timely payroll processing for all U.S. associates in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations on a biweekly basis
• Perform end-to-end payroll administration including wage payments, tax withholdings, deductions, adjustments, bonuses, reimbursement, benefits contributions, garnishments and auditing
• Run third party vendor deduction reports (benefits, 401k, etc.) and processes contribution files in a timely manner
• Perform complex payroll scenarios such as severance, irregular payments, and off-cycle adjustments, ensuring accuracy, and compliance
• Resolve escalated payroll issues quickly while implementing safeguards to prevent recurrence
• Ensure accurate accounting distribution and reconciliation of payroll results in partnership with Finance and Accounting
• Provide payroll expertise and insights during enterprise projects, reorganizations, or system implementations
• Lead training initiatives to enhance payroll knowledge, compliance awareness, and technical expertise across the function
• Develop and monitor payroll metrics and KPIs to ensure effectiveness, accuracy, and efficiency
• Maintain accurate payroll records by reviewing changes for general employee profile set up and maintenance to include minimum wage earnings, state/local coding, insurance deductions taxability & court-ordered deductions
• Manage regular preparation of relevant management reports, including weekly, monthly, quarterly and year-end reports
• Assist the finance team with budgeting, financial planning, and optimizing payroll costs in alignment with the organization's financial strategy
• File and deposit taxes: Remit withheld taxes and the employer's matching contributions to the relevant government agencies (like the IRS) on schedule. Adhering to deadlines is critical to avoid penalties.
• Responsible for reconciliation and management of PTO policies.
• Must adhere to all company and location policies and safety rule
• Must be able to work extended hours when required
• All other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree Human Resources, Finance, or a related field and 5+ Years Experience leading payroll operations in a multi-state environment- or equivalent experience.
• 5+ Years experience ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local wage, tax, and labor laws, managing payroll governance, controls, audits, and compliance with SOX or similar regulatory frameworks.
• 5+ Years experience with enterprise payroll and timekeeping systems (ADP is a must; Workday preferred)
• 5+ Years experience managing vendor and third-party provider relationships, including accountability for service delivery and performance.
• Strong conceptual thinking. We want our team to be able to start projects off from an incredibly strong position and come up with unforeseen, clever concepts to move forward with a deep level of care about the quality of your work.

Competencies

• Meticulous attention to detail
• Proactive
• Problem solver
• Strong communication skills (both written and verbal), discretion, professional openness, and other leadership skills needed to coordinate and facilitate healthy, well-organized teamwork.
• Expert level abilities in Microsoft Office computer programs such as Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Good organization skills
• Mathematical Aptitude and Numeracy
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Confidentiality and Data Privacy
• Honesty, Integrity & Fairness
• Respect for individual ability, creativity and diversity
• Accountability

Pay and benefits

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in applicable jurisdictions, Lydech includes a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This accounts for the wide range of factors considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to business or organizational needs, skill sets, experience and training, and certifications.

A reasonable estimate of the salary for this role is $90,000-$115,000.