Payroll Manager, U.S. & Canada

The Role:

Moderna is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Payroll Manager to lead and strategically manage payroll operations for our U.S. and Canada entities. This role oversees all aspects of U.S. (multi-entity, multi-state) and Canadian (multi-entity) payroll operations, including coordination of related equity transactions.

The Payroll Manager will serve as a trusted payroll expert, driving operational excellence, compliance, and continuous improvement across all payroll activities. They will lead a team responsible for end-to-end payroll operations across multiple entities and jurisdictions, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll delivery.

The ideal candidate will bring advanced proficiency in Workday Payroll and ADP SmartCompliance, and a proven track record of delivering accurate and compliant results. Success in this role requires strong attention to detail, integrity in managing sensitive data, and a commitment to process optimization, compliance, and data accuracy.

Reporting to the Director, Global Payroll, this individual will be a key partner to HR, Finance, Digital, Legal, and external vendors.  They will champion payroll accuracy, innovation, and collaboration in support of Moderna’s fast paced and evolving business. In addition, they will lead high-impact initiatives to enhance system automation, strengthen internal controls, and scale payroll operations in alignment with Moderna’s mission to deliver on the promise of mRNA science.

Here’s What You’ll Do:

• Identify, drive, and manage vendor risks, issues, and escalations within payroll operations

• Partner with payroll vendor to oversee the execution of payroll across various countries

• Manage end-to-end process of setting up payroll in new countries in coordination with payroll vendor and Workday partners

• Ensure required payroll information for new hires is gathered and loaded to necessary portals, in a complete and timely manner

• Create and load payroll file for each country

• Ensure expenses are captured in payroll file

• Serve as liaison between employee(s) and payroll provider

• Identify, implement and have oversight for process improvements for OUS payroll

• Ensure that all processing is being executed based on payroll procedures with standards and tools in place and aligned for all accounts

• Responsible for employee satisfaction

• Responsible for key performance indicator management with all payroll vendors, with strong focus on metrics to drive improvement with strong action plan development for identified improvements

• Review account status (financial and overall satisfaction) and participate in service review meetings with vendors ensuring service level agreements are met or exceeded

• Manage change requests both internally and with the vendor, as needed

• Collaborate and work with the US team in payroll schedules and performance/reward cycles

• Evaluate processes, identifying process improvement opportunities to support the growing organization, while maintaining sound internal controls

• Support projects as needed to include system upgrades, payroll conversions, etc.

• Assist employees with education related to payroll

• Evolving ongoing duties as we continue to grow

Here’s What You’ll Need (Basic Qualifications):

• BA/BS degree or equivalent is required; with equivalent work experience

• 5-8+ years of relevant experience in Payroll solutions and vendor management

• Knowledge of country/regional experience in Europe and other geographies outside North America is preferred

• Domain expertise in Workday, Payroll technology and solution; prefer SAP experience

• Ability to build strong collaborative relationships, influence multiple partners, and establish common goals and objectives without sacrificing outcomes

• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills required

• Thrives in matrix environments, is flexible, collaborative and deadline-driven

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications):

• Strong organization skills with attention to detail, laser-focused approach on delivery of results is required

• Proven ability to take a