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Director Of Payroll Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

GHI Staffing Solutions

Director of Payroll

Brentwood, MD · On-site

$170 - $200/hr

We are seeking an experienced Director of Payroll to lead enterprise-wide payroll operations for a large, complex organization. This leader will be responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and ...

Dufry

Senior Payroll Analyst

Bethesda, MD

$70K - $83K/yr

Examines each payroll run for accuracy, efficiency, and compliance; prepares summary report to the Director of Payroll on any apparent improvement opportunities * Analyzes the payroll process and its ...

Dufry

Senior Payroll Analyst

Bethesda, MD · On-site

$70K - $83K/yr

Examines each payroll run for accuracy, efficiency, and compliance; prepares summary report to the Director of Payroll on any apparent improvement opportunities * Analyzes the payroll process and its ...

HMSHost

Senior Payroll Analyst

Bethesda, MD · On-site

$70K - $83K/yr

Examines each payroll run for accuracy, efficiency, and compliance; prepares summary report to the Director of Payroll on any apparent improvement opportunities * Analyzes the payroll process and its ...

Ag

Payroll Director

Herndon, VA · On-site

As Director of Payroll Administration, you are a vital member of the Payroll and broader HR team. Together with your team and key stakeholders, you will re-define, standardize and operationalize ...

Airbus

Payroll Director

Herndon, VA · On-site

As Director of Payroll Administration, you are a vital member of the Payroll and broader HR team. Together with your team and key stakeholders, you will re-define, standardize and operationalize ...

Dufry

Senior Payroll Tax Analyst

Bethesda, MD · On-site

$70K - $83K/yr

The Senior Payroll Tax Analyst reports to the Senior Director of Payroll Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment : * Education and Experience: The combination of education and ...

HMSHost

Senior Payroll Tax Analyst

Bethesda, MD · On-site

$70K - $83K/yr

The Senior Payroll Tax Analyst reports to the Senior Director of Payroll Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment : * Education and Experience: The combination of education and ...

Dufry

Senior Payroll Tax Analyst

Bethesda, MD

$70K - $83K/yr

The Senior Payroll Tax Analyst reports to the Senior Director of Payroll Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment : * Education and Experience: The combination of education and ...

Aston Carter

HR/Payroll Specialist

Greenway, VA

$23.75 - $32.25/hr

At least 10 years of direct experience supporting federal payroll operations at a U.S. Government department or agency. * Extensive experience providing direct federal payroll and HR support.

Marymount University

Payroll Manager

Arlington, VA · On-site

Oversee the processing of bi-weekly payroll to include all Leave payroll adjustments, transmits Direct Deposit and Positive Pay files, calculates, prepares and transmits federal and state tax deposit ...

Aston Carter

HR/Payroll Specialist

Mclean, VA · On-site

$23.75 - $32.25/hr

At least 10 years of direct experience supporting federal payroll operations at a U.S. Government department or agency. * Extensive experience providing direct federal payroll and HR support.

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All JobsOf Payroll JobsDirector Of Payroll JobsDirector Of Payroll Jobs in Reston, VA

Director Of Payroll information

See Reston, VA salary details

$59.8K

$121.1K

$171.7K

How much do director of payroll jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for director of payroll in Reston, VA is $121,113.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $99,900.00 and $140,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of payroll, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Of Payroll, you need deep expertise in payroll regulations, tax compliance, and accounting principles, typically supported by a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field. Proficiency with payroll software (such as ADP, SAP, or Workday), as well as certifications like CPP (Certified Payroll Professional), is highly valued. Strong leadership, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate complex information clearly distinguish top performers in this role. These capabilities ensure accurate, compliant payroll processing and effective team management, minimizing risk and supporting organizational success.

What are some common challenges a director of payroll faces when managing multi-state or international payroll operations?

A Director of Payroll often encounters challenges related to varying tax laws, compliance requirements, and reporting standards across different states or countries. Keeping up to date with frequent regulatory changes, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, and coordinating with HR, finance, and legal departments can be complex. Effective directors implement robust systems and regular training to mitigate compliance risks and foster strong communication across teams.

What is the difference between Director Of Payroll vs Payroll Manager?

AspectDirector Of PayrollPayroll Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees payroll operations, develops policies, manages teams, ensures complianceManages payroll processing, verifies data accuracy, supervises payroll staff
Required CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor’s degree in finance or HR, payroll certifications (e.g., CPP)Usually requires a bachelor’s degree, payroll certifications preferred
Work EnvironmentStrategic, leadership-focused, often in corporate HR or finance departmentsOperational, hands-on payroll processing in HR or finance teams

The main difference between a Director Of Payroll and a Payroll Manager lies in scope and focus. The Director oversees the entire payroll function, setting policies and strategic direction, while the Payroll Manager handles day-to-day payroll processing and staff supervision. Both roles often require similar credentials and work within the same industry environments, but the Director has a broader leadership role.

What does a director of payroll do?

A Director of Payroll is responsible for overseeing an organization's entire payroll function, ensuring that employees are paid accurately and on time. They manage payroll staff, develop and implement policies, ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations, and often handle auditing and reporting tasks. The Director of Payroll also collaborates with other departments such as finance and human resources to ensure seamless payroll operations. Their role is crucial in maintaining employee satisfaction and regulatory compliance.
What are popular job titles related to Director Of Payroll jobs in Reston, VA? For Director Of Payroll jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Director Of Payroll jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Director Of Payroll jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Director Of Payroll jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Director Of Payroll job openings:
Director Of Payroll jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Of Payroll job openings in Reston, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $121,113 per year, or $58.2 per hour.

Director of Payroll

Global Payroll Management Institute

Chevy Chase, MD • On-site

$185.38 - $301.24/hr

Other

Medical, Retirement

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

Why This Role Matters

HHMI is not looking for someone to keep the current payroll process running as is. The mandate is to take it apart and rebuild it from first principles into a Workday-native, AI-first operation that reflects the best available technology rather than inherited habit. Where a step survives only because it has always existed, this role is expected to say so, and where a better tool or model exists, to make the case and build toward it. Payroll also sits at the seam between Finance and People & Culture, so the role only works if that partnership holds, with People & Culture trusting this person to get pay right, explain hard tradeoffs plainly, and bring them along on change rather than spring it on them.

What You Will Actually Do
  • Redesigns the payroll process from first principles. Maps how payroll works today by finding what is slow, manual, error-prone, or simply unexamined. Then rebuilds it around best practice. Treats the current process as a starting point to question, not a constraint to preserve.
  • Owns the payroll function end to end, including compliance and controls. Runs accurate, on‑time, compliant pay across all HHMI populations, including foreign nationals, and the states and tax jurisdictions in which they work, while leading the payroll team to that standard. Keeps payroll compliant across multi‑state tax, wage and hour, foreign national withholding, and reporting obligations, and partners with ADP, which prepares W‑2s and remits state payroll taxes. Also builds controls that catch problems early and documents the process, so it does not live in one person’s head.
  • Makes Workday do the work. Drives payroll deeper into Workday, including configuration, automation, controls, and reporting. Cuts the workarounds and spreadsheets that sit alongside the system and replace them with the system itself.
  • Puts AI to real use. Uses current AI tools to reduce manual effort, catch errors before they reach an employee’s paycheck, and free the team for higher‑value work. Decides where AI genuinely helps, where it does not, and builds accordingly.
  • Builds customer service into the design. Builds the new process around the people it serves, so employees can get a clear, fast, accurate answer about their pay. Treats responsiveness and accuracy as design goals rather than afterthoughts.
  • Partners with P&C and Science, and briefs executive leadership. Works hand in glove with People & Culture and Science on everything that touches pay, including onboarding, leaves, terminations, comp changes, time keeping, and benefits deductions. Also translates payroll strategy, risk, and tradeoffs into clear terms for the President, the COO, and the General Counsel, bringing recommendations rather than status.
  • Leads the team. Sets direction for the payroll staff, develops their skills toward a more automated operation, and communicates clearly through change, so the team is brought along rather than left behind.
What We Are Looking For
  • Deep payroll expertise. Knows payroll at a level few people do, including multi‑state tax, wage and hour, garnishments, off‑cycle and retro pay, year‑end, and the full mechanics. Has designed payroll processes, not just operated them.
  • Workday command. Knows Workday payroll well enough to redesign around it, including how to configure it, automate it, and stop fighting it. Can tell the difference between a system limitation and a process the organization never bothered to fix.
  • Fluent in current AI. Uses today’s AI tools in real work and has opinions about where they help. Can spot the manual steps a model should be doing and is comfortable building toward that.
  • Not bound by the status quo and current on the field. Says so when a step exists only out of habit and is willing to consider and implement change rather than defend the inherited way. Stays current on the best practices, tools, and operating models at the leading edge of payroll, and brings that outside view rather than designing only from what HHMI has done before.
  • Thinks strategically and owns the seam. Sees payroll as a system to be designed, not a task list to be completed, while still getting this Friday’s pay run right. When something falls between Finance and P&C, keeps it moving until pay is correct and on time rather than waiting to find out whose job it is.
  • Strong with two audiences and a real partner to P&C and Science. Can go deep with the team on the mechanics and then brief the President, COO, or General Counsel at the right altitude. Treats People & Culture and Science as partners rather than a counterparty, brings them in early, and earns their trust to get pay right. Depth over tenure. HHMI is not counting years for this role. What matters is genuine subject‑matter mastery of payroll and payroll process design, real command of Workday, and fluency with current AI tools.
Nice to Have
  • Benefits experience. Experience working with and understanding of benefits, gained from working closely with a benefits team.
What This Role Is Not
  • Not a role for someone who wants to run the existing process well and leave it there. The job is to redesign it.
  • Not a pure compliance or processing role. The mechanics matter, but the point is to rethink how the function works, not just execute it.
  • Not a role for someone who needs the status quo defended. This is not the seat for someone most comfortable when nothing changes.

Not a back‑office role removed from leadership. This role briefs the President, COO, and General Counsel and partners with P&C leadership directly.

Practical Details

This is a full‑time, permanent HHMI position based at headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with a hybrid schedule. The Director of Payroll reports to the Chief Financial Officer and partners closely with People & Culture. Please direct inquiries to the Office of People & Culture.

We encourage qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States to apply. Please note, we are not able to sponsor a visa for this position at this time.

Compensation and Benefits

Our employees are compensated from a total rewards perspective in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our Benefits at HHMI site to learn more.

Compensation Range: $185,378.40 (minimum) - $231,723.00 (midpoint) - $301,239.90 (maximum)

Pay Type: Annual

HHMI’s salary structure is developed based on relevant job market data. HHMI considers a candidate’s education, previous experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal consistency when making job offers. Typically, a new hire for this position in this location is compensated between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range.

HHMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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