Senior Manager, Payroll Operations

This role ensures the timely and accurate delivery and accounting of salaries, wages, commissions (as applicable) and incentive payments through the management of the payroll function, its associated processes, and incumbent Payroll team members. This individual will oversee all near and longer-term activity relating to the research, analysis, design, operations and project management of the payroll function for the Americas Division and its subsidiaries. In addition, this role manages the daily activities and professional development of the Payroll team and serves as a member of the Human Resources management roundtable.

Number of direct reports:3
Number of indirect reports: 0
The role's primary responsibility is to manage the Bank's payrolls, where expected activity is balanced between overseeing significant transactional team operations as well as tactical efforts dealing with on-demand problem resolution. A smaller portion of this role is focused on looking beyond current processes and procedures to build a longer-term strategy along with enhanced entity scope and controls. This role reports into the Head of Payroll Operations, Americas Region.

The job responsibilities are described herein:

• Serves as the senior subject matter expert for all matters relating to the payroll function at SMBC.
• Payroll Team and Payroll Operations: Directs the daily activities of the payroll team. Identifies priorities and provides guidance on the resolution of complex problems as they emerge. Escalates the communication of sensitive matters in a timely manner to the Head of HR Shared Services and/or the CHRO (when appropriate). Selects, leads, coaches, appraises, and develops members of the team. Provides actionable feedback to team members on a regular basis. Prepares and maintains annual goals and development plans for each direct report. Functions as the primary interface with external payroll vendors (e.g., ADP, Blalmher, TMF, EY, etc.).
• Payroll Compliance: Ensures that all payroll policies, programs and practices are fully compliant with all applicable internal protocols and external laws and regulatory oversight (including COSO, SOC 1 -SSAE compliance.). Ensures that all legally and SMBC policy-required filings are administered on a timely basis. Verifies that external vendor relationships remain fully compliant with established SMBC protocols and external regulatory oversight. Executes with the highest degree of integrity, confidentiality, and discretion in the handling of all employee data and related communications by members of the payroll team.
• "Payroll Strategy:Leads the research, formulation, review, approval, communication, and delivery of SMBC's near, mid and long-term payroll strategies, as applicable. Ensures that the resulting strategies align with relevant business strategy, goals and priorities. Collaborates and partners with supporting departments to drive payroll strategies and practices that are aligned with the Bank's values and business philosophy."
• Manages external State Agency, and internal, Controllers, and JSOX audits.

• Maintains subject matter expertise for matters relating to payroll programs, policies and processes.
• Maintains effective core management skills including the directing and development of direct and indirect reports (as applicable) - this includes the effective delivery of actionable feedback, effective planning and delegation, and the ability to frame, develop, and articulate a strategy for the team.
• Demonstrates effective vendor management skills, including the ability to forge effective/efficient partnerships to deliver quality, timely and compliant benefits-related counsel and services to SMBC employees.
• Must demonstrate effective verbal, written and presentation communication skills. Must be able to clearly define a problem, its possible solutions and effectively advocate its resolution.
• Must be able to mentor and develop colleague team members.
• Able to leverage appropriate level of situational competency in change leadership, vendor management, collaboration, consensus building, organizational navigation and personal agility.
• Maintains a broad understanding of SMBC's business, business leaders and priorities.
• Maintains a fully engaged awareness of all applicable regulatory, compliance, legal, and company policies that may directly or indirectly affect current and/or contemplated payroll policies, programs and practices.
• "Full use of the Microsoft Office suite; proficient knowledge of ADP, Lotus Notes and Oracle databases."
• Demonstrates the highest standards of ethics, integrity, honesty, diversity, and discretion.

Work Experience:10+ years of specialized experience in Payroll Operations and Services. Business-related experience of 10+ years in a payroll role is required (with at least 5 of those years in a manager/supervisory capacity). Knowledge of HR payroll processes, multi-State, Taxes and overall solid business acumen is required.

Preferred Education: BA / BS (or equivalent experience). This is a technically-oriented position that requires extensive hands-on experience and issue resolution in the payroll field.

Business fluency in the following language(s): English

Software Systems / Programming Languages: Experience with ADP WFN, ADPR, Smart Compliance and iReports strongly preferred.

Work Environment:SMBC's "5 Values" guide the overall culture of the work environment - Customer First; Proactive/Innovative; Speed; Quality; and Team SMFG. This job is performed in a work from home environment with occasional presence in the office.

Physical Demands:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job in an office environment.

Travel:0-10% travel required