Position: Director, Payroll – Full Time/Exempt

Department: Accounting & Finance

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Location: Arizona Cardinals (Tempe, AZ)

Format: In-person 

Cardinals Organizational Summary:   

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club is a professional football team within the National Football League (NFL). We compete in the National Football Conference (NFC) West division and call State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, our home.

As one of the oldest pro football franchises in the U.S., the Club has established itself as a sport and cultural hallmark within Arizona, as well as a trailblazer for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives and firsts around the League.  Our vision is to build a leading sports organization that competes for championships, drives business results, creates loyal fans, develops proud employees, and inspires hope in our community. We are relentless in our pursuit of greatness on and off the field, while positively impacting our people, our fans, and our community.

If you want to join an organization that values putting the team first, doing what is right, growing with positivity, valuing every voice, while driving performance, we would love for you to join our team. Learn more about the Arizona Cardinals and see what’s happening here. 

Job Summary:

The Director of Payroll is responsible for overseeing all aspects of payroll operations for The Club, ensuring accurate and timely processing, regulatory compliance, and effective team management. This role will lead the development and implementation of standardized processes and reporting frameworks across affiliated organizations, promoting consistency, alignment, and adoption of best practices.

You will play a key role in designing and delivering compensation-related analytics, including budget variance reporting and key payroll metrics. This position requires strong analytical capabilities to build insightful reporting tools as well as leadership skills to mentor and develop an existing payroll team.

In this role, you will collaborate cross-functionally to enhance operational efficiency and employee experience, especially through process improvements within our payroll system (UKG). Ideal candidates will bring a blend of strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and hands-on payroll expertise, with a track record of implementing scalable solutions from the ground up.

Primary Job Duties:

The Director of Payroll will have the daily responsibilities including, without limitation, to the following:

• Manage and supervise the payroll team, providing guidance, training, and development opportunities
• Oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll for all types of pay groups (full-time, part-time, seasonal and collectively bargained union employees)
• Maintain functional payroll systems, policies, and procedures
• Identify and implement best practices and process improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy
• Participate in the development of the compensation and headcount budget
• Develop Budget to Actual Compensation reporting and Compensation Forecasting throughout the year
• Develop ad-hoc compensation reporting as needed
• Reconciliation of payroll and payroll related financial accounts
• Ensure compliance with all applicable payroll laws, regulations, taxes, and best practices, staying current on changes in payroll legislation and regulations
• Coordinate with auditors and respond to payroll related audit requests
• Collaborate with other departments, such as HR, Accounting and Finance
• Develop and maintain understanding of the specific Nuances of NFL Payroll and Compensation
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications/Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field, or equivalent
• Experience: At least five (5) years of experience in payroll management, with a strong understanding of payroll principles and practices
• Relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Payroll Professional) are a plus
• Proven experience developing reporting and feedback systems to proactively monitor payroll trends, budget variance, and compensation forecasting
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with large datasets; experience with data visualization tools or dashboard reporting is a plus
• Demonstrated ability to standardize and scale payroll processes across multiple business units or affiliate organizations, applying best practices and process alignment
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with a track record of mentoring and developing team members
• Highly detail-oriented, analytical, and self-motivated, with strong organizational skills and a commitment to operational excellence
• Experience with HR & Payroll systems, UKG Pro preferred
• In-depth knowledge of payroll and tax laws, regulations, and best practices
• A high level of discretion and integrity when handling sensitive team member and payroll information
• Experience in the sports and entertainment industry preferred
• Must complete all pre-employment forms and successfully pass a background check

Cardinals Benefits/Perks Summary:

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club has developed a comprehensive benefits package that provides economic and inclusive benefits to full-time employees. The Cardinals benefits offer care, protection, and support for employees and their loved ones. The Cardinals organization encourages an environment that is conducive to living a healthy, productive, and flexible lifestyle.

Benefits and Perks include, but are not limited to:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance options; effective the first day of hire
• 401 (k) retirement option with employer match contribution
• Paid Time Off Accruals (including sick time accruals)
• Paid Time Off for most Federal holidays
• Time off for Maternity, Paternity, Military, and Bereavement
• MDLIVE: 24/7 medical support
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) & Health Care Saving Account options
• Discounts on Cardinals gear & paraphernalia
• Tuition reimbursement & Professional Growth opportunities
• Daily free lunch
• Complimentary season tickets
• Subsidized gym memberships 

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

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Equal Opportunity Employer
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