Director, Global Payroll

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At StandardAero, we use our ingenuity and know-how to find solutions for the simple to the most complex challenges in aviation. Together, we get the job done and done well. Our stability, resources, and respectful culture supports you in building a solid career with a great team you can count on day in and day out for the long term.

The Director, Global Payroll is responsible for the strategy, governance, operational effectiveness, compliance, and continued evolution of the company’s global payroll function. Reporting to the Vice President of Total Rewards, this role leads regional payroll teams and partners closely with HR, Finance, Accounting, Tax, Legal, HR Technology, Benefits, Compensation, and external payroll providers. The Director will provide leadership across a complex, multi-country payroll environment while building the processes, controls, technology, vendor structure, and operating model required to support a rapidly growing global organization.

This role requires a leader who can balance strategic transformation with strong operational oversight—ensuring payroll is accurate and compliant today while developing a scalable global payroll model for the future.

Remote anywhere, candidates must be within the U.S.

What You'll Do:

Global Payroll Strategy & Leadership

• Maintain oversight of payroll delivery across all countries and payroll populations, ensuring employees are paid accurately, completely, and on time.
• Establish global standards for payroll calendars, approvals, validations, reconciliations, issue management, payroll close, and service-level expectations.
• Provide leadership and escalation support for complex payroll issues and ensure appropriate business continuity and contingency plans are maintained.
• Establish and maintain a strong global payroll governance and control framework, including segregation of duties, approvals, change controls, reconciliations, and audit trails.
• Ensure payroll practices comply with applicable wage, tax, social insurance, employment, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.
• Partner with Finance and Internal Audit to maintain effective payroll-related financial and SOX controls.
• Lead remediation efforts resulting from payroll audits, control reviews, compliance assessments, or operational issues, and maintain appropriate process and control documentation.

Global Standardization & Transformation

• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and improve payroll processes across countries and regions.
• Lead payroll technology, automation, integration, and process-improvement initiatives to reduce manual processes and support scalable operations.
• Partner with HR Technology and Finance to improve integrations between HR, timekeeping, payroll, benefits, equity, and financial systems.
• Develop a global approach to payroll data, reporting, and analytics.
• Support payroll integration related to acquisitions, geographic expansion, and significant organizational growth.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Management

• Own strategic relationships with external payroll providers and other payroll-related partners, including performance expectations, service levels, governance, and escalation processes.
• Evaluate vendor performance, technology capabilities, service models, and opportunities for consolidation or change; lead or support vendor selections, implementations, and contract negotiations.
• Partner closely with Accounting, Finance, Tax, Compensation, Benefits, Equity Administration, Mobility, HR, and HR Technology to ensure payroll requirements are effectively supported.
• Provide payroll expertise for new programs, new countries, acquisitions, organizational changes, and other business initiatives.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop payroll leaders and team members across multiple regions.
• Build clear accountability and strong operational discipline while fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture.
• Develop payroll capabilities and succession plans appropriate for a growing global organization.
• Foster an environment where issues are surfaced early, root causes are identified, and sustainable solutions are implemented.

Position Requirements:

• Must be authorized to work in the US
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Experience overseeing payroll for the United States, Canada, and other international countries required
• Demonstrated experience leading payroll in a large, complex, multi-country organization.
• Strong knowledge of payroll operations, controls, compliance, payroll accounting, and related HR processes.
• Experience leading payroll transformation, standardization, automation, or system implementation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of payroll governance, financial controls, and audit requirements.
• Demonstrated experience managing external payroll providers and complex vendor relationships.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and operational leadership skills.
• Ability to translate complex payroll issues into clear business risks, decisions, and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Experience leading and developing geographically dispersed teams.

Preferred Characteristics:

• Payroll certification or equivalent professional designation is an asset.

Benefits that make life better

• Comprehensive Healthcare
• 401(k) with 100% company match; up to 5% vested
• Paid Time Off starting on day one
• Bonus opportunities
• Health- & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Life & AD&D Insurance
• Learning & Training opportunities

Originally posted on Himalayas