Position Summary 

The Senior Director, Payroll Managed Services – Americas (SMB) is a senior leadership role responsible for the end-to-end strategy, delivery, and continuous improvement of payroll operations for small to mid-sized businesses across US and Canada. This leader oversees service delivery teams, vendor/partner ecosystems, and enabling technology to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services at scale. The role blends operational excellence, client relationship ownership, productized service design, and P&L stewardship to drive growth, retention, and best-in-class client experience. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own the Americas SMB payroll managed services strategy, and operating model; align to enterprise objectives and regional market dynamics. 

• Lead and coach multi-site service delivery teams (operations, implementation, tax/compliance, and client success) to consistently meet SLAs, KPIs, and client satisfaction targets. 

• Accountable for payroll accuracy, timeliness, statutory compliance, data integrity, and secure handling of sensitive information across all jurisdictions served. 

• Establish and monitor operational KPIs (e.g., First-Time-Right %, On-Time % Payrolls, Case Resolution Time, NPS/CSAT, Cost-to-Serve) and drive continuous improvement using AI and automation. 

• Partner with Sales, Product, Finance, and Legal to design and commercialize scalable, standardized service packages for SMB segments, including pricing, scope, and clear RACI definitions. 

• Oversee client onboarding/implementations process, ensuring predictable timelines, quality data conversion, and strong change management for clients. 

• Work with product and sales to identify and operationalize vendor partnerships that will benefit clients and the company.  

• Sponsor technology enablement across HCM/payroll platforms, integration middleware, case management, knowledge base, and analytics; champion automation (RPA/API), self-service, and AI-assisted workflows. 

• Ensure robust controls, audit readiness, and regulatory adherence (e.g., IRS/SSA reporting in the U.S., provincial/state requirements, LATAM country obligations, SOC/ISO controls, GDPR/CCPA). 

• Lead incident and root cause management for payroll defects or service disruptions; implement preventative controls and communications playbooks. 

• Develop workforce plans, capacity models, and skills frameworks; recruit, develop, and retain high-performing managers and specialists across the region. 

• Manage budgets and P&L for the service line, balancing quality, speed, and cost; drive margin expansion through standardization and right-shoring. 

• Represent the service line in executive forums; provide transparent performance updates, forecasts, and risk/issue management. 

• Foster a culture of client centricity, accountability, and continuous improvement aligned to company values. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or related advanced degree preferred. 

• 12+ years of progressive experience in payroll operations, managed services, or HRO/BPO, including 5+ years leading multi-site or regional teams. 

• Deep knowledge of U.S. payroll (federal/state), plus exposure to Canada payroll frameworks and cross-border tax/reporting considerations. 

• Proven record of scaling standardized, productized services for SMB clients with measurable improvements in SLA attainment, NPS/CSAT, and cost-to-serve. 

• Experience driving automation and process transformation (Lean/Six Sigma, RPA, APIs, integrations). 

• Strong commercial acumen: pricing, SOWs/MSAs, margin management, and renewals/expansions; effective partnership with Sales and Product. 

• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills; adept at translating complex operations into clear, actionable insights. 

• Commitment to data privacy, information security, and internal controls (SOC/ISO, GDPR/CCPA);  

Success Measures (Year 1–2) 

• Service reliability: >99.5% on-time payrolls; First-Time-Right >98%. 

• Client experience: NPS/CSAT improvements of ≥10 points; churn reduction in SMB segment. 

• Operational efficiency: 10–20% reduction in cost-to-serve via standardization and automation. 

• Risk & compliance: Zero critical audit findings; timely, accurate filings across jurisdictions. 

• People & culture: Improved engagement scores; succession plans and upskilling pathways for key roles. 

• Growth: Increased attach/expansion rates on value-add services (HR, Workers Compensation Insurance, time & attendance). 

Key Interfaces 

• Internal: Operations, Implementation, Client Success, Product, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Sales/Partnerships, InfoSec, Internal Audit. 

• External: Clients (owners/CFO/HR leaders), in-country payroll providers, banks, tax authorities, auditors, and technology partners.