Payroll Manager-Entertainment

THIS ROLE WILL BE ONSITE 4 DAYS PER WEEK IN MANHATTAN.

250-300 employees, must have international tax exp, MUST HAVE PAYCHEX, semi monthly payroll

Payroll Manager to lead accurate, compliant, and timely payroll operations across multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S. and UK. This is a high-impact role at the intersection of payroll execution, regulatory compliance, and systems optimization—ensuring our employees are paid correctly, on time, and in full compliance every cycle.

The ideal candidate is a payroll subject-matter expert with a compliance-first mindset, strong systems expertise, and the confidence to manage complex, multi-entity payroll operations in a fast-paced, highly accountable environment. You will serve as a trusted partner to HR, Finance, and external vendors while continuously strengthening controls, processes, and payroll infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Systems

· Own end-to-end payroll processing across multiple entities and jurisdictions, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and regulatory compliance.

· Act as primary administrator for payroll systems and payroll-related HRIS modules, maintaining accurate configuration of earnings, deductions, bonuses, commissions, and PTO accruals.

· Partner closely with Finance to reconcile payroll data, support general ledger postings, and resolve variances.

· Manage payroll calendars, deadlines, approvals, and documentation to ensure consistent execution each pay cycle.

· Lead payroll audits, reconciliations, and internal controls to support audit readiness and compliance standards.

· Support onboarding and offboarding by ensuring accurate payroll setup, final pay calculations, and statutory documentation.

· Continuously assess payroll processes and systems to identify opportunities for automation, efficiency, and risk reduction.

· Maintain clear, comprehensive payroll documentation, SOPs, and internal controls.

Payroll Compliance & Employee Support

· Ensure compliance with federal, state, local, and international payroll regulations, including wage and hour laws, tax withholdings, statutory filings, and reporting requirements.

· Manage UK payroll compliance, including statutory pay, filings, and coordination with external payroll providers.

· Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related employee inquiries, resolving issues with discretion, accuracy, and professionalism.

· Monitor regulatory changes affecting payroll and proactively assess and communicate their impact to HR leadership and Finance.

· Partner with the Head of HR on payroll-related employee relations matters, escalations, and sensitive issues.

Qualifications

· Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field.

· 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including multi-state and/or international payroll (UK and Canada experience strongly preferred).

· Demonstrated expertise in UK payroll administration and tax compliance.

· Strong working knowledge of payroll compliance, tax regulations, benefits deductions, and wage and hour laws, including exempt and non-exempt classifications.

· Advanced Excel skills with strong payroll reporting and data analysis capabilities.

· Proven ability to drive compliance, mitigate risk, and support audits proactively and accurately.

· Hands-on experience with HRIS and payroll platforms; Paychex, Workday, and ADP experience strongly preferred.

· Exceptional attention to detail, confidentiality, and accuracy.

· Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills

· Experience supporting payroll and compliance in a multi-state or media/digital organization.

· Involvement in system implementations or audit initiatives (ISO, SOC, or internal audit frameworks).

· Proficiency with data analytics tools such as Power BI.

· HR or compliance certifications (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP) a plus