Payroll Manager

DLB Associates is a premier engineering and consulting firm specializing in innovative, mission-critical solutions across hyperscale data centers, advanced infrastructure, and high-performance building systems. With over four decades of expertise, we partner with some of the world’s most influential companies to design and optimize environments that demand precision, scalability, and resilience.

Join us and be part of a team where your voice matters, your work makes an impact, and your growth is a shared priority.

Salary

DLB recognizes salary ranges from job boards do not necessarily reflect our pay ranges. In many instances we out-compete those ranges for well-qualified candidates.

Job Summary

We are a 100% remote engineering firm seeking a technically adept Payroll Manager to lead our multi-state payroll operations within the Accounting Department. This role is designed for a leader who understands the complexities of a distributed and fast-growing workforce, as well as the importance of responsiveness, accuracy, and compliance.

The ideal candidate will manage the flow of data between Rippling (our payroll/HCM platform) and Deltek Vantagepoint (our ERP) and handle high level payroll reporting and requests.

Essential Functions

• Team Management
• Lead and mentor a remote payroll team, fostering professional growth and maintaining a high standard of accuracy.
• Ensure the accurate and timely payment of all employees while maintaining 100% compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations.
• Remote Multi-State Tax & Nexus Management
• Nexus Expansion: Manage the registration of new state and local tax accounts in Rippling as the company hires in new jurisdictions.
• Compliance Oversight: Navigate state-specific payroll mandates, including "Convenience of the Employer" rules, reciprocity agreements, and mandatory remote-work stipends or disability programs (PFL/SDI).
• Workers’ Comp: Coordinate multi-state Workers’ Comp audits, ensuring classifications match the remote nature of the work.
• Accounting & Year End
• GL Reconciliation: Partner with the Assistant Controller to reconcile bi-weekly payroll runs against the General Ledger in Deltek Vantagepoint.
• W-2s: Manage the year-end process, including W-2/W-2c generation and accurate reporting of taxable fringe benefits (e.g., Group Term Life Ins imputed income, third party sick pay, etc).
• Audit Support: Act as the primary point of contact for external auditors regarding payroll, workers’ compensation, and 401(k) plan audits.
• 401(k) Administration & Nondiscrimination Testing
• Annual Testing Leadership: Own the 401(k) compliance cycle, including ADP/ACP, 415(c), and Top-Heavy testing.
• Census Auditing: Prepare and validate year-end census data, with a specific focus on identifying Highly Compensated Employees (HCEs) and managing complex family attribution/ownership rules.
• Code Mapping: Ensure Rippling deduction codes are correctly categorized as "Testing Compensation" (Section 414(s)) to ensure accurate nondiscrimination results.
• Systems Integration: Rippling & Deltek Vantagepoint
• Data Synchronization: Maintain the integration between Rippling and Deltek Vantagepoint, ensuring that employee profiles, tax locales, and labor hours sync seamlessly between systems.
• Labor Distribution: Oversee the mapping of labor codes in Vantagepoint to ensure payroll expenses are accurately allocated to specific project phases, departments, and tasks.

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• Process Improvement: Optimize the "Timesheet to Payroll" workflow to reduce manual adjustments and ensure billing accuracy for our clients.
  
  

Physical Demands

The following physical demands must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is

• Frequently required to remain in a stationary position
• Frequently moving through office, facility and other environments
• On occasion the employee may move equipment weighing up to 25 pounds
  
  

Travel / Relocation Requirements

• Up to 5%, this may include travel to any or all 50 US states
  
  

Required Qualifications

Education / Experience

• Experience: 7+ years in payroll, with 3+ years in a management role. Direct experience with a 100% remote, multi-state workforce is required.
• Rippling: Proficiency in managing payroll and benefits on the Rippling platform (Rippling is strongly preferred).
• Deltek Vantagepoint: Experience with labor distribution, project codes, and ERP integration (Vantagepoint is strongly preferred).
• Compliance Expertise: Strong knowledge of 401(k) discrimination testing mechanics and IRS compensation definitions.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business.
• Certification: CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) is a significant plus.
  
  

Remote Work Competencies

• Asynchronous Leadership: Ability to manage a team across multiple time zones.
• Data Security Mastery: Proven ability to manage sensitive PII (Personally Identifiable Information) and payroll data securely in a virtual environment.
• Methodical Accuracy: A "zero-error" mindset when managing the intersection of project billing and employee pay.
  
  

Benefits

DLB Associates offers a very competitive benefits package; highlights include

• Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option)
• Flex spending accounts (FSA)
• Dental and vision plans
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26
• 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option
• PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year
• Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage
• Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance
• Paid parental leave after one year of employment
  
  

CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC residents only: In accordance with CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC law, the range provided is DLB's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and location.

DLB Associates is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and participates in the E-Verify program with the Department of Homeland Security. We encourage diversity in our workforce.

Are you ready to challenge yourself and redefine standards in the AEC industry? Apply now and join our award-winning team!

Notice To Third Party Agencies

DLB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to DLB in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where DLB has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of DLB and DLB will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.

The Pay Range For This Role Is

100,000 - 125,000 USD per year(Remote (United States))