Director, Payroll

At Real Chemistry, making the world a healthier place isn’t just an aspiration—it’s our everyday reality. Our drive to transform healthcare is informed by our blend of deep scientific expertise, human-centred creativity, and AI-driven insights, fostering a unique environment where innovation thrives and our people are impact-obsessed. As a global agency, we provide a full suite of services across healthcare communications and marketing to our clients, including top players in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Our #LifeatRealChem culture is rooted in our people—we believe we are best together and are committed to excellence for both our clients and colleagues. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, if you share our passion for healthcare and connection, we invite you to explore our opportunities.

Discover your purpose. Embrace innovation. Experience #LifeatRealChem.

Overview

Real Chemistry is seeking a Director of Payroll to lead end-to-end payroll operations for our U.S. employee population of approximately 1,700 employees across multiple entities. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll execution across salaried, hourly, and temporary workforces. The Director will serve as a key partner to HR and Finance, oversee a small team, and drive continuous improvement in payroll processes, controls, and systems to support a growing, multi-entity organization.

Key Responsibilities

Lead full-cycle U.S. payroll operations across multiple entities, including bi-monthly (salaried) and bi-weekly (hourly/temporary) payroll cycles

Ensure accurate and timely processing for ~1,700 employees, including both permanent and contingent workforce populations

Manage and develop a team of Payroll Analysts, providing coaching, performance management, and operational oversight

Oversee payroll-related components including taxes, benefits, and 401(k), ensuring compliance across federal, state, and local jurisdictions

Serve as a primary partner to HR and Finance on employee lifecycle events, reporting, reconciliations, and issue resolution

Ensure compliance with all payroll regulations, including tax filings, audits, and resolution of agency notices

Drive process optimization, documentation, and strengthening of internal controls to support audit readiness and scalability

Support payroll-related system initiatives, including integrations and data flow optimization between payroll and HRIS platforms (e.g., ADP, Workday)

Qualifications

8–10+ years of progressive payroll experience, including team leadership

Deep expertise in multi-state U.S. payroll operations and regulatory compliance

Hands-on experience with ADP (Workforce Now or similar platform) required

Experience with Workday or other HRIS systems strongly preferred

Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive data with a high level of accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality

Strong cross-functional partnership skills with HR, Finance, and external providers

Experience driving system implementations, integrations, and process improvements

Preferred Profile

Strategic, hands-on leader who can balance operational execution with process transformation

Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities

Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, multi-entity, and largely remote environment

Proven ability to build scalable processes and enhance controls in a growing organization

Success in This Role Looks Like

Payroll is consistently accurate, on time, and audit-ready

Strong partnership with HR and Finance enabling seamless employee lifecycle processing

Reduced manual processes through automation and system optimization

Scalable payroll infrastructure that supports organizational growth

Pay Range: $135,000-$155,000

This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors including but not limited to work experience, skills, certifications, and geographical location. The Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time

Real Chemistry is proud to be Great Place to Work® certified; check out what our people shared about our culture and workplace on our Great Places to Work Profile here .

We believe we can do our best when feeling our best, which is why we’ve put together a benefits program designed to give you the support you and your family need at every stage of life. Real Chemistry offers a comprehensive benefit program and perks, tailored to your region. Globally, this includes offices in our key markets with free snacks to keep you running all day long, generous holiday and paid time off, options for private medical, dental, and vison plans, and support in saving for the future. Other perks include mental wellness coaching and support and access to more than 13,000 online classes with LinkedIn L…