Director, Payroll

Studs is a category-defining ear piercing and earring brand named one of “the 10 most innovative companies in retail for 2023” by Fast Company. Studs connects ear piercing with aftercare and earring shopping to create an end-to-end Earscaping® experience. We offer a better retail and digital experience that prioritizes safety and expertise in a cool, fun and welcoming environment, along with a wide earring assortment—all at an accessible price point.

The Director, Payroll will lead day-to-day payroll administration for our rapidly-growing, multi-state retail organization. This role owns end-to-end payroll operations across the company’s hourly and salaried employee populations and will serve as a subject-matter expert on multi-state and multi-jurisdiction payroll tax and compliance.

The Director, Payroll ensures every employee is paid accurately and on time, keeps Studs compliant with federal, state, and local wage and tax law as the company expands into new markets, and partners closely with the People, Finance, and Legal teams to keep payroll processes reliable, auditable, and scalable.

Location:

HQ (New York, NY) — Hybrid

Key Responsibilities:

• Own end-to-end processing of Studs' bi-weekly pay cycle, including timecard validation, adjustments, deductions, garnishments, and off cycle payments. Oversee multi-state and multi-jurisdiction payroll tax compliance, including tax registrations, withholding, reciprocity rules, and reporting.
• Manage relationship with and support from the company’s payroll provider.
• Serve as the primary payroll point of contact for tax notices, agency correspondence, and filings, resolving issues proactively. Respond to payroll inquiries from employees with a high standard of service and discretion. Maintain and continuously improve payroll controls, reconciliations, and audit trails to ensure accuracy and data integrity as Studs scales into new jurisdictions.
• Prepare and review payroll reporting for Finance, including general ledger reconciliation, accruals, and support for year-end processes (W-2s, tax filings).

Requirements:

• 8+ years of payroll experience with progressive ownership of multi-state or multi-jurisdiction processing.
• Extensive hands-on experience with ADP required (ADP Workforce Now and Workforce Manager experience preferred).
• Strong track record of supporting a high-growth, multi-location hourly workforce with variable schedules.
• Exceptional accuracy and attention to detail.
• Able to work onsite at Studs’ New York City headquarters three days per week.