SR. Payroll Business Analyst

Safelite is an auto glass company seeking a Lead Payroll Business Analyst to drive complex payroll initiatives across operations, compliance, analytics, and continuous improvement. The role leads requirements management, data analysis, process optimization, cross-functional collaboration, audits, system changes, and payroll transformation efforts.

Responsibilities:

• Own and manage the intake, prioritization, and delivery of payroll and cross-functional initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and strategic objectives
• Analyze payroll processes, systems, audit findings, ticket trends, and operational data to identify risks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities; translate insights into actionable recommendations supporting payroll operations, compliance, and decision‑making
• Lead cross-functional working sessions with Payroll, HR, Finance, Benefits, and Technology stakeholders to define requirements, align priorities, and drive solution design
• Manage and lead the end-to-end requirements lifecycle, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and alignment across systems and workflows
• Create and maintain business requirements, SOPs, process maps, workflows, control documentation, KPIs, dashboards, and reporting to support consistent, scalable, and audit‑ready payroll operations, including identifying opportunities for automation, standardization, and control enhancements
• Lead advanced data analysis and translate complex payroll and system data into actionable insights that inform operational and leadership decision-making
• Analyze data trends, anomalies, and root causes (e.g., overpayments, retroactivity, recurring errors) to drive process improvement and risk mitigation
• Drive development and use of dashboards, KPIs, and data storytelling to provide visibility into performance, compliance, and strategic opportunities
• Identify inefficiencies and lead automation and optimization efforts (e.g., Excel models, Power Automate) to improve scalability and reduce manual effort
• Act as a liaison between business, technology, and external partners to ensure solutions are scalable, compliant, and aligned with enterprise standards
• Manage cross-functional dependencies, timelines, and risks across multiple initiatives; proactively escalate issues and drive resolution
• Support payroll initiatives and system changes by partnering with project, system, and QA teams; assist with UAT, deployment, adoption, training, job aids, and communications; and support internal and external audits through documentation, testing, issue tracking, and remediation
• Ensure all deliverables are compliant with regulatory requirements, aligned with internal controls (SOX), and audit-ready
• Lead and support payroll transformation initiatives and strategic projects, coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver outcomes aligned with scope and timelines
• Serve as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor, influencing decisions and guiding stakeholders
• Provide guidance and support to analysts or stakeholders, promoting best practices and adoption of tools, processes, and solutions
• Provide backup support for designated payroll functions, including select payroll processing activities and backup support for Payroll Tax Analyst responsibilities as needed
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Complies with all policies and standards

Requirements:

• High School Diploma Required
• 4-6 years relevant experience in payroll, business analysis, operational analytics, or a related role, with demonstrated ownership of complex, cross-functional initiatives Required
• Ability to manage and influence cross-functional stakeholders, aligning multiple priorities and driving business outcomes across Payroll, HR, Finance, Benefits, and IT
• Ability to serve as a functional lead and trusted advisor on enterprise-wide initiatives with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex payroll concepts to stakeholders and leadership
• Demonstrated commitment to maintaining the confidentiality and security of sensitive payroll and employee data
• Advanced ability to analyze complex payroll, system, and operational challenges and deliver practical, compliant, and scalable solutions that support long-term business objectives
• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or other related field Preferred
• 4-6 years experience supporting large-scale, enterprise-wide processes involving compliance, audits, and multi-system integrations Preferred
• 4–6 years experience working with high volume and multi-state payroll environments Preferred
• Proven ability to lead process improvement initiatives, identify risks and control gaps, and implement scalable, standardized solutions Preferred