Payroll Project Manager

Payroll Project Manager

Job Level: W2T Consultant

Job Location: On\-site/Hybrid (Must be local to Chicago)

Travel Expectations: None

Job Classification: Temporary (W2T)

Join Centric Consulting – A Culture You’ll Love

At Centric Consulting, we've cultivated a unique approach to business. Our business is built on three fundamental principles: Enjoy the people you work with, have fun, and do great work. These principles define our consulting model and have crafted one of the most vibrant cultures in the consulting industry – celebrating individuals, collaboration, and lifelong friendships.

We are seeking an experienced Payroll/HR Project Manager to lead and deliver initiatives across payroll operations, HR systems, and employee lifecycle processes. This role is responsible for driving end\-to\-end project execution, ensuring compliance, improving process efficiency, and partnering closely with HR, Finance, IT, and business stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of project management discipline, HR/payroll domain expertise, and strong stakeholder leadership.

In this role, you will:

Project Leadership \& Delivery

• Lead full lifecycle project management for Payroll and HR initiatives, including system implementations, process redesign, compliance updates, and integrations.
• Develop project plans, timelines, budgets, and resource strategies; track progress and manage risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Facilitate cross functional collaboration between HR, Payroll, Finance, IT, and external vendors.
• Ensure all deliverables meet quality, compliance, and operational standards.
• Drive change management activities including communications, training, and stakeholder readiness.

Payroll \& HR Domain Expertise

• Oversee projects related to payroll processing, time \& attendance, compensation, benefits, onboarding, and employee data management.
• Partner with Payroll and HR leaders to identify process gaps and opportunities for automation or optimization.
• Ensure alignment with federal, state, and local labor/payroll regulations.
• Support system configuration, testing, validation, and post go live stabilization.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for project sponsors, SMEs, and leadership.
• Facilitate workshops, requirements sessions, and status meetings.
• Communicate project updates, risks, and decisions clearly and proactively.
• Build trust and influence across diverse stakeholder groups.

Operational Excellence

• Develop and maintain documentation, including process maps, SOPs, and project artifacts.
• Monitor KPIs and performance metrics to ensure project outcomes deliver measurable value.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities across HR and Payroll operations.

Who You Are:

• 5–8\+ years of project management experience, preferably in HR, Payroll, or shared services environments.
• Strong understanding of payroll processes, compliance requirements, and HR operations.
• Experience with HRIS or payroll systems (Workday, ADP, UKG, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, etc.).
• Proven ability to lead cross functional teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience with testing cycles, data validation, and system integrations.
• Proficiency with project management tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP, Agile, or similar project management certification.
• Experience in large enterprise environments or multi state payroll operations.
• Background in change management or process improvement (e.g., Prosci, Lean, Six Sigma).
• Experience working with external vendors or implementation partners.

Total Rewards:

We proudly offer competitive compensation, and a comprehensive and well\-rounded benefits package for full\-time employees that have been designed to nourish your well\-being. Benefits offered include health, dental \& vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, life insurance, self\-managed PTO, paid holidays, parental leave, and other unique incentives that celebrate your accomplishments. We also offer access to many voluntary benefits such as Flexible Spending Accounts, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Legal Services, as well as discounts on home, auto and pet insurance

• Remote and Hybrid Work
• Time Off When You Need It
• Benefits That Flex
• Professional Development

While benefits eligibility may vary for roles that are non full\-time, we provide unique opportunities for growth, skill development, and more. Regardless of your role, you’ll be part of a collaborative environment where every team member contributes to our shared success.

Who We Are:

Founded in 1999 with a remote workforce, we combine the benefits of experience, flexibility, and cost efficiency to create tailored solutions centered on what’s best for businesses. Now numbering more than 1,400 employees in the U.S. and India, we’re committed to solving clients’ toughest problems and delivering on our mission of providing unmatched experiences.

Our purpose at Centric Consulting is to bring unmatched experiences to clients and employees. These aren't just words we use — it's how we became a company and who we are today. Providing an unmatched experience means we approach each other as human beings and lead with empathy and humility. It means we work diligently to ensure we are a place where everyone can create a sense of belonging and feel respected for who they are.

What Makes Centric a Great Place to Work?

We know that creating and sustaining an authentically welcoming culture requires that we all play a part in promoting *diversity, equity, and inclusion**, from our business practice to how we show up for employees and communities. This is how we bring our mission and core values to life, working together to provide the highest quality services to our clients while allowing our employees to reach their full potential. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veterans’ status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.*

Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates during all aspects of the selection process. Please advise the talent acquisition team if you require accommodations during the application or interview process.