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.

At Gallagher, we believe supporting our colleagues goes far beyond the role itself. For more information, visit our Benefits page.

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits programs designed to support your well-being
• Career development opportunities and ongoing learning
• A collaborative, people-first culture with accessible leadership
• The opportunity to do meaningful work with global reach and local impact

At Gallagher, we are dedicated to building an inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to join our Talent Community to stay connected to additional career opportunities. At times, we will consider transferable skills from previous roles.

Gallagher is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer (Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled)