Payroll Manager, Projects & Transformation

Position Summary

The Payroll Manager, Projects & Transformation partners directly with the Americas Payroll lead, manage payroll-related projects, support Oracle Payroll initiatives, and drive continuous improvement across the payroll function. This is a hands-on role within a lean team, requiring the successful candidate to personally execute many project deliverables while collaborating with HR, HRIS, IT, Finance, Benefits, and other business partners.

Approximately 60–70% of the role is dedicated to enterprise and cross-functional projects, while 30–40% focuses on improving payroll operations through process standardization, governance, compliance, and automation.

This role will be hybrid and based in our headquarters in Rolling Meadows, IL. 

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on payroll professional who enjoys leading projects while remaining actively involved in execution. They are comfortable working independently in a small team, have deep Oracle Payroll expertise, excel at functional testing and process improvement, and can translate strategic direction into practical, scalable payroll solutions.

Primary Responsibilities

Payroll Projects (60–70%)

• Lead payroll-related enterprise and cross-functional projects.
• Partner with HR, HRIS, IT, Finance, Benefits, and vendors on payroll initiatives.
• Gather and document business requirements.
• Develop and execute functional test plans, SIT, UAT, payroll validation, and defect resolution.
• Support Oracle Payroll enhancements and optimization.
• Challenge technical assumptions to ensure practical business solutions.
• Personally execute project deliverables in a lean team environment.

Payroll Transformation & Operational Excellence (30–40%)

• Review existing payroll processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Design and implement standardized payroll procedures.
• Partner with the Americas Payroll Lead on governance and compliance reviews.
• Develop operational controls and process documentation.
• Identify automation opportunities that improve efficiency and reduce risk.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across the payroll function.

Required Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) required.
• Deep experience with Oracle Payroll / Oracle Cloud HCM required.
• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including payroll projects and process improvement.
• Experience leading business requirements, testing (SIT/UAT), and payroll implementations.
• Strong knowledge of payroll operations, compliance, governance, and controls.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

We offer a competitive and comprehensive compensation package. The base salary range represents the anticipated low end and high end of the range for this position. The actual compensation will be influenced by a wide range of factors including, but not limited to previous experience, education, pay market/geography, complexity or scope, specialized skill set, lines of business/practice area, supply/demand, and scheduled hours. On top of a competitive salary, great teams and exciting career opportunities, we also offer a wide range of benefits. 

Below are the minimum core benefits you’ll get, depending on your job level these benefits may improve:

• Medical/dental/vision plans, which start from day one!
• Life and accident insurance
• 401(K) and Roth options
• Tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, FSA)
• Educational expense reimbursement
• Paid parental leave

Other benefits include:

• Digital mental health services (Talkspace)
• Flexible work hours (availability varies by office and job function)
• Training programs
• Gallagher Thrive program – elevating your health through challenges, workshops and digital fitness programs for your overall wellbeing
• Charitable matching gift program
• And more...

**The benefits summary above applies to fulltime positions. If you are not applying for a fulltime position, details about benefits will be provided during the selection process.

We value inclusion and diversity

Click Hereto review our U.S. Eligibility Requirements

Inclusion and diversity (I&D) is a core part of our business, and it’s embedded into the fabric of our organization. For more than 95 years, Gallagher has led with a commitment to sustainability and to support the communities where we live and work.

Gallagher embraces our employees’ diverse identities, experiences and talents, allowing us to better serve our clients and communities. We see inclusion as a conscious commitment and diversity as a vital strength. By embracing diversity in all its forms, we live out The Gallagher Way to its fullest.

Gallagher believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any form of discrimination by its managers, employees, vendors or customers based on race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity (which includes transgender and other gender non-conforming individuals), gender expression, hair expression, marital status, parental status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected (herein referred to as “protected characteristics”) by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Equal employment opportunity will be extended in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, compensation, benefits, layoff, and termination. In addition, Gallagher will make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified person with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.