Vice President, Payroll Americas

Description

About this role

The Payroll Americas (AMRS) Team Leader will be responsible for managing the delivery of payroll services in the AMRS region balancing a high service level to employees and a high degree of statutory compliance whilst ensuring a cost-effective function. This includes ensuring payroll vendors are performing per the agreed upon Service Level Agreements (SLAs) whilst also providing oversight of the vendor managed payroll service teams to deliver payroll timely and accurately.

The Payroll AMRS Team Leader must have a strong technical background in payroll, including a working knowledge of employment tax and accounting matters, internal controls, and project management skills to manage the impact on payroll due to acquisitions, divestitures, changes in statutory rules, the year-end global bonus and equity process and other related operations. The regional lead will be responsible for ensuring that the Payroll AMRS team understands the full employee life cycle and its impact on payroll operations for the firm.

The role and key responsibilities:

• Payroll operations and technology:
  • Manage a complex end-to-end payroll operation for 9000+ employees located in the AMRS region covering the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Chile.
  • This includes, but is not limited to delivering pay timely, effectively, and in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulatory, tax and labor requirements.
  • Regularly review, audit, test, and update payroll controls with an eye for enhancing controls to prevent operational errors.
  • Partner with the HR integrations team to design optimized and standardize system interfaces to minimize data control issues that support a better control structure.
• Team management and oversight:
  • Help devise the Payroll AMRS strategy, including flexing and determining team structure and delivery model to keep pace with the growth of the firm.
  • Manage and develop a strong, high performing team consisting of four team members located in both Wilmington, DE, USA, and Mexico City, Mexico.
  • Drive a high-performance, customer-focused and control centric culture within the team
  • Manage the team's performance against objectives and measure outcomes with the goal of improving efficiencies and effectiveness
• Payroll vendor management:
  • Manage external payroll vendor relationships to deliver payroll processing effectively across the region.
  • Meet regularly with payroll vendors to review performance and explore potential for improvement/enhancement of operations.
  • Develop and manage metrics that indicate operational optimization and are within the payroll vendors' Service Level Agreements.
• Must be comfortable working within ambiguous circumstances and is capable of constantly seeking out, proposing, and implementing process improvements and best practice initiatives as appropriate.
• Oversee various audits, such as internal audits, employment tax audits, and social security audits as necessary.
• Ensure compliance with the firms Sarbanes Oxley (SoX) control framework.
• Maintain strong cross-functional relationships between teams such as HR Benefits, HR Talent Mobility, Compensation Accounting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Tax and Controllers to ensure their information needs and Payroll processes are aligned for maximum effectiveness.
• Maintain and test the Disaster Recovery Plan as agreed with the Regional Head.
• Lead the team through legal entity acquisitions, divestitures, and other firm initiatives such that implementations are a success with no compliance issues.
• Lead, participate and deliver upon department projects as required.

Experience and Attitude:

• A minimum of 10 years' experience in a large multi-national payroll department, of which at least 5 years include managing a regional team.
• Financial services and/or investment banking industry experience is preferable.
• Knowledge and experience with employment tax and other regulations in the United States preferred.
• Knowledge of withholding tax, related tax filings, tax policy and regulations as they relate to AMRS payroll reporting.
• Knowledge of accounting, with a focus on compensation accounting.
• Experience in designing, implementing, and reviewing internal controls aimed at reducing operational risk.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively across different internal teams and vendors.
• Ability to confidently interact with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to effectively manage vendors, ensuring adherence to contracts and Service Level Agreements.
• Strong client service mentality and able to develop strong working relationships with your team, internal partners, and vendors to deliver a high-quality service.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, in an organized manner, and adhere to strict completion deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills that enable candidate to recognize and resolve problems
• Bachelor's Degree preferred.

Key competencies

• Experience working with outsourced managed service payroll vendors.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).
• A high level of attention to detail.
• A positive and 'can-do' attitude.
• Risk Management.
• Teamwork including collaborating with remote team members.
• Problem solving.
• Desire and ability to provide outstanding service to internal clients.
• Adaptability / Resilience.
• Communicate with impact.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to identify, analyze and develop improvements to processes and/or procedures.
• Discretion in dealing with confidential information.

Our benefits

To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of benefits including a strong retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive healthcare, support for working parents and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about.

Our hybrid work model

BlackRock's hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 3 days in the office each week, with the flexibility to work from home up to 2 days a week; some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. Beginning in September, all employees will shift to at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person - aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock.

About BlackRock

At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being. Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children's educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress.

This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment - the one we make in our employees. It's why we're dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive.

For additional information on BlackRock, please visit careers.blackrock.com | www.blackrock.com/corporate | Instagram: @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

BlackRock is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, and other statuses protected by law.

BlackRock will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of the law, including any applicable fair chance law.