Payroll Director

 Location: Center City, Philadelphia

Schedule: Hybrid (3 days onsite required)

At JEVS Human Services, we believe in empowering individuals to reach their full potential — creating opportunities for self-sufficiency, fulfillment, and growth. Each year, we make a meaningful impact in the lives of nearly 16,000 people, including individuals with physical, developmental, and emotional challenges, as well as those experiencing barriers such as unemployment and underemployment.

Are you an experienced payroll leader looking to make a meaningful impact in a mission-driven environment? We’re seeking a Payroll Director to lead payroll operations for a large, multi-state nonprofit. This is an opportunity to shape strategy, improve systems, and guide a talented team—all while ensuring payroll is accurate, timely, and compliant.

What You’ll Do

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 6-8 payroll professionals, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, customer service and continuous improvement.
• Partner with senior Finance and HR leadership to streamline payroll operations and ensure payroll practices align with agency policies, collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and organizational objectives.
• Establish and monitor performance metrics measuring effectiveness of payroll operations.
• Own and maintain strong internal controls over payroll processing and related reporting.

Payroll Operations

• Direct and oversee end-to-end payroll operations to include weekly, biweekly and multi-state payrolls.
• Ensure accurate calculation and payment of wages for union and non-union employees, including regular pay, overtime, shift differentials, and other special pay in accordance with agency policy and CBA.
• Oversee the accurate calculation, withholding and remittance of all payroll taxes, deductions, garnishments and employee benefit contributions, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, plan documents and CBA.
• Reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts and resolve discrepancies timely.

Year-end and Tax Reporting

• Oversee all year-end payroll processes, ensuring compliance with IRS, state, and local regulations.
• Manage preparation, accuracy, and timely distribution of annual tax forms (e.g., W-2, W-2c, and other required filings).
• Reconcile payroll records with general ledger and tax filings to identify and resolve discrepancies prior to year-end reporting.
• Monitor and apply annual changes to tax rates, wage bases, benefit limits, and other statutory updates.
• Ensure accurate reporting of taxable fringe benefits, bonuses, deferred compensation, and other special wage items.
• Partner with Finance and HR to confirm that benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and leave accruals are properly captured and reported.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external partners (e.g., benefits providers, retirement plan administrators, and payroll tax agencies) to validate year-end data.
• Lead post-year-end audits and respond to inquiries from internal stakeholders, auditors, and government agencies.
• Communicate year-end deadlines, changes, and requirements to employees, ensuring clear understanding of tax forms and payroll impacts.

Compliance & Reporting

• Maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local tax and labor laws, including wage and hour regulations.
• Support Finance team by providing data needed for grant reporting, cost allocations and compliance with funder contracts.
• Prepare and submit required filings and reports for internal stakeholders, auditors, and regulatory agencies.
• Serve as the payroll lead during internal and external audits.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Partner with IT and vendors to identify opportunities for automation, efficiency, and system enhancements.
• Implement process improvements to optimize payroll accuracy, efficiency and employee experience.

Employee Support

• Serve as the primary point of contact for complex payroll inquiries from employees and external partners.
• Provide guidance and training to employees and managers on payroll policies, deductions, tax elections and benefit contributions.
• Investigate and resolve complex payroll issues in a timely and professional manner.

What You Bring

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or a related field.

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive payroll experience, including at least 5 years leading payroll for a large, complex organization (1,000+ employees).

• Hands-on experience managing multi-state payrolls in high-volume environments with both union and non-union workforces.

• Strong background with enterprise HRIS/payroll systems (ADP, Workday, Paychex, UKG, etc.).

• Deep knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, and wage and hour rules.

Skills

• Strong team leadership and coaching abilities.

• Exceptional accuracy, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent communication and partnership skills across departments.

• High proficiency in payroll systems and Microsoft Excel.

Certifications

• CPP certification strongly preferred (or willingness to obtain within one year).

What’s in it for you:

• 401(k), with company match
• Tuition assistance: Available to all employees with at least one year of service, for those enrolled in job-related, accredited, degree or certificate level courses
• Health, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Ample paid vacation and sick time
• 10-12 paid holidays per year
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Continuing education, professional development opportunities, retreats, and training
• Employee referral bonus
• Reimbursement of eligible mileage and travel expenses

The base pay for this position ranges from $95,000 to $120,000 and will vary based on factors such as skills and experience.  Base pay is one part of the Total Compensation that JEVS Human Services provides to recognize employees for their work. JEVS provides competitive Benefits; we believe that benefits should support you at work and at home.  Please visit the benefits page of our careers site for more details.

At JEVS, we are committed to ensuring all our employees feel included, valued, appreciated and free to be who they are at work.  We cultivate a culture where differences are valued, and we are putting resources and attention towards improving employee engagement, retention, and promotion of our talented staff. 

Diversity, inclusion, and equity are core principles that guide how we cultivate leaders, build our teams, and create an environment that is the right fit for JEVS Human Services’ employees, our community partners, and the individuals we serve.

For more information about what it’s like to be a part of the JEVS team, visit our careers page at https://www.jevshumanservices.org/careers/

Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply; reasonable accommodations will be provided.  Please contact your recruiter if you are in need of an accommodation during the interview process.

JEVS Human Services is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities.  The Agency will not engage in or tolerate unlawful discrimination (including any form of unlawful harassment) on account of a person’s gender, gender identity, age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual preference or orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, disability, or membership in any other protected group.  Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply; reasonable accommodations will be provided.