Director Payroll & HRIS

Company Overview:

SPIRE Hospitality is a management company specializing in creating memorable guest experiences and delivering best-in-class service at our hotels and resorts across the country. We ensure you have the support, tools and opportunities you need to get the job done, grow as an individual, and excel in your hospitality career.

Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive full-time benefits package consisting of: medical, dental, vision, pet discount program, identity theft protection, Earned Wage Access to get paid before payday, pre-paid legal support, flexible spending accounts, 401K, life, critical accident, critical illness, short- & long-term disability, paid time off, wellness programs, wonderful hotel discounts and much more!

Director of Payroll & HRIS

Reports To: VP of People & Culture

Location: Irving, TX, in-office position

Position Summary:

The Director of Payroll & HRIS provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for a hospitality portfolio of 25 hotels encompassing 2,000 team members. This role is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of complex payroll cycles while maximizing the utility of the UKG platform. The Director will drive process improvements, ensure strict compliance with federal and multi-state labor laws, and leverage data analytics to support organizational decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Strategy

End-to-End Processing: Oversee the full lifecycle of semi-monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly payroll processes, ensuring timely and accurate payments for a diverse workforce.

Hospitality Complexity:

Manage industry-specific payroll intricacies, including tip reporting (FICA tip credit), service charges, retro-pay, and FLSA Section 7(i) exemptions.

Tax & Garnishments:

Oversee tax processes within UKG, ensuring accurate setup and calculation for all federal, state, and local tax filings across 25+ jurisdictions. Manage the processing and validation of wage garnishments, child support orders, and levies.

Vendor Management:

Act as the primary technical liaison for UKG support and tax services to resolve discrepancies.

HRIS Management (UKG)

System Optimization: Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the UKG suite. Lead implementation, configuration, testing, and deployment of new modules and system upgrades.

Workflow Automation: Design and implement automated workflows within UKG to streamline onboarding, offboarding, status changes, and benefits administration.

Data Integrity: Conduct regular audits of HRIS data to ensure accuracy and consistency. Establish data governance protocols and security permissions.

User Support: Oversee troubleshooting and tier-2 support for system issues raised by property-level HR managers and employees.

Compliance & Reporting

Multi-State Compliance: Monitor changes in wage and hour laws across 20+ states to ensure the organization remains compliant (e.g., pay transparency, local leave laws).

Audit Readiness:

Lead internal payroll audits (401k, Workers' Comp). Maintain comprehensive records and documentation.

Analytics:

Design and generate routine and ad-hoc reports using UKG Business Intelligence (BI) tools. Provide executive leadership with labor cost analysis, turnover metrics, and overtime utilization data.

Leadership & Development

Team Management: Recruit, mentor, and manage the Payroll and HRIS team members. Set performance goals and provide ongoing feedback.

Training:

Develop training materials and SOPs for end-users (General Managers, Department Heads) regarding timekeeping best practices and system usage.

Experience:

Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in Payroll and HRIS administration.

Minimum of 3 years in a leadership or management role.

Required: Experience with UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) platforms (UKG Pro/UltiPro).

Experience managing payroll for a multi-unit hospitality or retail portfolio is highly preferred.

Education & Certification:

Bachelor's degree in accounting, HR, Business Administration, or related field.

CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation is preferred.

Technical Skills:

Deep knowledge of multi-state taxation and reciprocity rules.

Proficiency in UKG Business Intelligence (Cognos/IBM) reporting.

Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables).

Core Competencies

Detail-Oriented: Ability to catch errors in complex data sets before they impact the bottom line.

Crisis Management: Ability to maintain composure and solve problems quickly during critical payroll processing windows.

Communication: Ability to translate complex tax and system concepts into clear instructions