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Payroll Director Jobs in Utah (NOW HIRING)

PACS

Director of Payroll

Farmington, UT · On-site

General Purpose The Director of Payroll serves as the senior operational leader for Payroll, reporting to the Vice President of HR Operations and Payroll, and is responsible for leading and scaling a ...

Bristol Hospice

Payroll Analyst

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site

$65K/yr

Inform the Payroll Director of any payroll related changes that may occur prior to processing * Assist in internal and external audits related to payroll. Provide documentation and support as needed ...

Robert Half

Payroll Specialist

Lindon, UT · On-site

$28.50 - $33/hr

Address questions from clients and employees related to earnings, tax withholding, direct deposit, and year-end payroll documents in a timely and thorough manner. * Apply federal, state, and local ...

Hunt Electric

Payroll Specialist

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site

$22.50 - $30.75/hr

Minimum Qualifications * 5+ years of direct certified payroll experience within the construction industry. * Extensive knowledge of Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, prevailing wage laws, certified ...

Hunt Electric

Payroll Specialist

Salt Lake City, UT

$22.50 - $30.75/hr

Minimum Qualifications * 5+ years of direct certified payroll experience within the construction industry. * Extensive knowledge of Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, prevailing wage laws, certified ...

Tooele County School District

Payroll Specialist

Tooele, UT · On-site

$22 - $30/hr

Payroll Specialist Primary Purpose Under the direct supervision of the Business Administrator, to help administer the school district's payroll function for the largest employer in Tooele County ...

Hunt Electric

Payroll Specialist

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site

$22.50 - $30.75/hr

Minimum Qualifications * 5+ years of direct certified payroll experience within the construction industry. * Extensive knowledge of Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, prevailing wage laws, certified ...

Lagoon Amusement Park

Payroll Coordinator

Farmington, UT · On-site

$21.25 - $28.50/hr

The Payroll Coordinator handles confidential employee and financial information with ... direct sunlight, high noise levels, bright/flashing light or darkened areas, fog or haze, large ...

Lagoon Amusement Park

Payroll Coordinator

Farmington, UT · On-site

$21.25 - $28.50/hr

The Payroll Coordinator handles confidential employee and financial information with ... direct sunlight, high noise levels, bright/flashing light or darkened areas, fog or haze, large ...

Lagoon Amusement Park

Payroll Coordinator

Farmington, UT · On-site

$21.25 - $28.50/hr

The Payroll Coordinator handles confidential employee and financial information with ... direct sunlight, high noise levels, bright/flashing light or darkened areas, fog or haze, large ...

Cementation USA

Senior Payroll Administrator

Sandy, UT · On-site

Review and approve payroll-related data entered by HR in Paycom (tax withholdings/exemptions, direct deposit and banking information, pay rate changes, job/title changes, and department or site ...

Palco

PAYROLL TAX MANAGER

Hurricane, UT · On-site

* PAYROLL TAX MANAGER We're Palco ... We provide the management, support, and systems behind self-directed programs--the services that ...

Palco

PAYROLL TAX MANAGER

Hurricane, UT · On-site

* PAYROLL TAX MANAGER We're Palco ... We provide the management, support, and systems behind self-directed programs--the services that ...

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Payroll Director information

See Utah salary details

$52.3K

$106K

$150.2K

How much do payroll director jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for payroll director in Utah is $105,980.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $87,400.00 and $122,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a payroll director?

Payroll Directors are senior professionals responsible for overseeing an organization’s payroll operations, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time. They manage payroll staff, develop and implement payroll policies, ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations, and often collaborate with HR and finance departments. Payroll Directors also handle complex payroll issues, audit processes, and may be involved in selecting and maintaining payroll systems. Their role is crucial in maintaining employee satisfaction and organizational compliance.

What does a payroll director do?

A payroll director oversees the payroll department, ensures that accounting is accurate, and pays all payroll taxes for their organization. As a payroll director, your daily duties involve reconciling payroll ledgers, confirming tax laws and regulations are met, and managing employee compensation and benefits. A payroll director may also be responsible for hiring and training new employees.

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

To thrive as a Payroll Director, you need deep expertise in payroll processing, tax compliance, and relevant labor laws, typically backed by a degree in finance, accounting, or business and several years of payroll management experience. Familiarity with payroll software (such as ADP, SAP, or Workday), data analysis tools, and certifications like Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) are commonly required. Exceptional leadership, attention to detail, and strong communication skills set top candidates apart in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for ensuring accurate, timely payroll operations and minimizing legal and financial risks for the organization.

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

Payroll Directors overseeing multi-state or international operations often encounter challenges such as navigating varying tax laws, compliance regulations, and reporting requirements for each jurisdiction. They must stay updated on frequent legislative changes and ensure accuracy across different systems, which may require collaborating closely with legal, finance, and HR teams. Effective communication, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills are essential to mitigate compliance risks and streamline payroll processes across diverse locations.

What is the difference between Payroll Director vs Payroll Manager?

AspectPayroll DirectorPayroll Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees entire payroll department, develops policies, ensures compliance, manages teamManages payroll processing, supervises staff, ensures accurate and timely payroll
Required CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance, payroll certifications (e.g., CPP)Usually requires similar credentials, payroll certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentExecutive-level, strategic focus, higher-level decision makingOperational focus, day-to-day payroll processing
Industry UsageCommon in large organizations and corporationsFound in organizations of various sizes, often as a supervisory role

The Payroll Director and Payroll Manager roles share many credentials and work environments, but the Director typically handles strategic oversight and policy development, while the Manager focuses on daily payroll operations. Both positions are essential in payroll departments, especially in larger organizations.

More about Payroll Director jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Payroll jobs in Utah?

The most popular types of Payroll jobs in Utah are:

What are popular job titles related to Payroll Director jobs in Utah?

For Payroll Director jobs in Utah, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Payroll Director jobs in Utah look for?

The top searched job categories for Payroll Director jobs in Utah are:

What cities in Utah are hiring for Payroll Director jobs?

Cities in Utah with the most Payroll Director job openings:

Payroll Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Payroll Director job openings in Utah as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $105,980 per year, or $51 per hour.

Director of Payroll

PACS

Farmington, UT • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 3 days ago

PACS Group rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 42 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 245 rated social care providers

Job description

General Purpose
The Director of Payroll serves as the senior operational leader for Payroll, reporting to the Vice President of HR Operations and Payroll, and is responsible for leading and scaling a high-performing, compliant payroll function across a large, multi-state, multi-facility healthcare organization. This role owns the full payroll lifecycle - including payroll processing, payroll compliance, wage and hour adherence, payroll operations, and service delivery excellence - and is expected to strengthen controls, develop payroll leadership capacity, and create the operational confidence needed for senior leadership to focus on broader HR Operations priorities. Partnering closely with HR, Finance, Legal, and facility leadership, the Director of Payroll ensures accurate, timely, and legally compliant compensation delivery to a workforce of 47,000+ employees, escalating material risks, strategic decisions, and significant compliance or service issues as appropriate.
The ideal candidate is a people-first payroll leader who has built and led payroll teams at scale, understands the nuances of multi-state and union payroll environments, and brings a strong compliance and operational maturity mindset to every process and decision. This leader should establish clear ownership and decision rights, disciplined escalation paths, standard operating procedures, root-cause analysis, payroll issue prevention practices, service metrics, data quality controls, and cross-training that reduce dependency on individual leaders and make the payroll function more self-sufficient over time.
KEY OUTCOMES (0-12 MONTHS)
  • Accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery across all entities
  • Payroll function operates with clear leadership, thoughtful escalation, and strong day-to-day operational ownership
  • Standardized, scalable payroll processes and controls with clear ownership, decision rights, and documented procedures
  • Strong federal, state, and local tax compliance, audit readiness, and measurable service performance
  • Payroll team has stronger leadership depth, clearer succession readiness, and documented processes that support measurable service and compliance outcomes.
  • Trusted partnership with HR, Finance, Legal, HRIS, operations, and facility leaders.

Essential Duties
Payroll Processing & Service Delivery
  • Direct end-to-end payroll processing for all entities, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance across multiple pay groups, frequencies, unions, and states.
  • Establish clear ownership, decision rights, and tiered escalation paths across the payroll function to support disciplined operations and appropriate risk escalation.
  • Establish and maintain payroll processing calendars, standard operating procedures, checklists, and quality assurance checkpoints to ensure consistent and error-free pay cycles.
  • Oversee garnishment processing, voluntary deductions, retroactive pay calculations, and off-cycle payment requests with appropriate controls and documentation.
  • Drive root-cause analysis and payroll issue prevention by identifying recurring errors, strengthening upstream data quality, reducing manual touchpoints, and improving process reliability.
  • Deliver an outstanding service experience to employees across the organization through responsive, accurate, and people-centered payroll support.
  • Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), service level agreements (SLAs), and control measures to assess payroll accuracy, timeliness, compliance, and team performance.

Payroll Compliance
  • Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, tax regulations, and reporting requirements across all operating jurisdictions.
  • Monitor legislative and regulatory changes impacting payroll and proactively implement process or system updates to maintain compliance.
  • Lead payroll audit readiness activities, including documentation, internal controls, sample preparation, and remediation tracking for internal and external audits.
  • Manage relationships with payroll service providers and ensure accuracy of tax registrations, rates, and filings across all jurisdictions.

People Leadership & Team Development
  • Build, lead, and develop a high-performing payroll team through clear expectations, coaching, continuous feedback, and professional development opportunities.
  • Build the next generation of payroll leaders by developing managers and team leads, creating leadership depth, and strengthening succession readiness across the function.
  • Lead and set the tone for a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning where team members are empowered to solve problems and consistently deliver results.
  • Lead workforce planning for the payroll team, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, and succession planning.
  • Promote cross-training, documentation, and knowledge sharing to reduce key-person risk, increase self-sufficiency, and build organizational resilience over time.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Partnership
  • Serve as the payroll business owner for Workday Payroll, establishing payroll requirements, priorities, and desired outcomes, and partnering with the HRIS/technical team to ensure solutions effectively support payroll operations, reporting, and controls.
  • Partner with HR Operations, Benefits, Compensation, Legal and Finance to ensure alignment on earnings, deductions, accruals, and general ledger reconciliation.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to facility administrators and regional leadership on payroll-related questions, policies, and escalations.
  • Collaborate with Legal and Compliance on wage and hour matters, audit responses, and regulatory inquiries.
  • Partner with the Sr. Payroll Tax and Compliance Analyst on payroll tax filings, reconciliations, amendments, and year-end reporting including W-2 processing, and tax agency correspondence.

Qualifications
Required
  • Required 10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience in complex, multi-state, multi-site, or enterprise environments.
  • Demonstrated success leading and developing payroll teams of 15+ in a high-volume, service-oriented environment.
  • Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax laws, wage and hour regulations, and compliance requirements.
  • Strong understanding of payroll systems, preferably Workday and ADP Smart Compliance, including configuration, integrations, and reporting.
  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
  • Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred
  • Experience in the healthcare or post-acute care industry.
  • Experience with payroll service delivery in a shared services or centralized support model.
  • Experience leading payroll through acquisitions, system implementations, or large-scale organizational change.
  • CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation or equivalent certification.

Leadership Characteristics
  • People-first leader who inspires trust, develops talent, and drives team performance through coaching, recognition, and accountability.
  • Compliance-minded operator who brings rigor, discipline, and attention to detail to every payroll process and decision.
  • Service-oriented leader with a passion for delivering accurate, timely pay and a positive employee experience.
  • Strategic thinker who can see the big picture while managing the day-to-day details of a complex payroll operation.
  • Calm under pressure - thrives in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments and leads teams through peak periods with composure and clarity.

Work Location
  • This role is based at PACS Headquarters in downtown Salt Lake City, UT. Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates who reside outside the greater Salt Lake City area.

Travel
  • Travel is expected across regions and facilities to build relationships and support implementation. Anticipated travel: 10% depending on business needs.

#LI-BB1
Join PACS: Elevate Healthcare with Us!
PACS is elevating healthcare by revolutionizing our approach to leadership and quality care. Guided by our core values of love, excellence, trust, accountability, mutual respect, and commitment, we strive to foster a culture of compassionate care within our teams and the communities we serve. As we grow rapidly, exciting opportunities await you to engage in impactful projects and contribute valuable insights to stakeholders nationwide.
If you're ready to make a difference and embrace our mission of creating real change, we invite you to join us at PACS. Together, let's shape the future of healthcare!
Join Our Team and Thrive!
At PACS, we believe our employees are our greatest asset. That's why we offer an exceptional benefits package designed to enhance your well-being and support your lifestyle.
Our Comprehensive Benefits Include
  • Health Coverage: Enjoy medical, dental, and vision plans to keep you and your family healthy.
  • PTO and Vacation: Benefit from generous paid time off and holidays to relax and recharge.
  • Financial Wellness: Take advantage of Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) to manage your healthcare expenses effectively.
  • Retirement Planning: Secure your future with our 401(k) plan, complete with company contributions to help you build your retirement savings.
  • Support When You Need It: Our Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) provides confidential support for personal and professional challenges.

Join us at PACS and take advantage of a workplace that truly values you!
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applicants of every race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and any other protected characteristic. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

What PACS Group employees say

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About PACS

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Health care and social assistance

Company size

201 - 500 Employees

Headquarters location

Farmington, UT, US

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