Senior Compensation & Payroll Specialist

Now hiring! Senior Compensation & Payroll Specialist

 

Southfield, MI

 

BASF Coatings is a global supplier of high quality, durable coatings for new vehicle manufacturing, including advanced color design as well as efficient, high-standard repair solutions with digital color matching and surface treatment solutions under the Chemetall brand for preparing and protecting metal, plastic, and glass surfaces, ensuring adhesion and corrosion resistance.  We are seeking an experienced Senior Compensation and Payroll Specialist who brings subject-matter expertise in both domains to lead strategic initiatives, influence key stakeholders, and ensure seamless operational execution. This role reports to the Head of People and Culture and will require an on-site presence up to four days a week.

This role combines two distinct areas of expertise—Compensation and Payroll—which require different knowledge areas, certifications, and scopes of responsibility. Compensation serves as a global and regional strategic thought partner, while Payroll manages the full lifecycle of employee pay, state/federal compliance, regulatory expertise, and vendor management. 

 

Key Responsibilities:

Compensation Responsibilities – U.S. & Canada 

• Lead and maintain the company’s compensation philosophy and go-to-market strategy. 
• Partner with Talent Acquisition on compensation guidance for hiring, promotions, salary adjustments, and internal equity. 
• Manage incentive programs including bonus, long-term incentives (LTI), and other variable pay programs across all employee groups—including union, management-represented, and executives. 
• Conduct market analyses and benchmarking to ensure competitive pay structures. 
• Support compensation governance, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation. 
• Lead compensation-related projects and process rollouts (e.g., annual merit cycles, global initiatives). 
• Provide consulting and administration support for the annual compensation planning cycle. 

Payroll Responsibilities – U.S. & Canada 

• Lead the strategic onboarding of a new payroll provider across U.S. operations, requiring deep payroll expertise. 
• Oversee all data migration, sandbox testing, and full end-to-end implementation of payroll systems. 
• Act as the primary contact for managing the BPO payroll vendor relationship. Strong vendor management skills are essential. 
• Partner with HR, Finance, and IT to ensure accurate and efficient payroll processes. 
• Collaborate cross-functionally and influence without authority to drive accurate payroll execution. 
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including payroll tax reporting and payments. 
• Manage tax registrations, filings, deposits, and reconciliation processes. 
• Oversee involuntary deductions such as garnishments, levies, and child support orders. 
• Monitor legislative changes and implement necessary updates. 
• Partner with Finance on payroll expense allocation, GL posting, and reconciliation. 
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end payroll close activities. 
• Manage payroll funding requirements and related forecasting. 

Global Compensation & Benefits Strategy 

• Contribute to global and regional compensation strategies as part of the Global Compensation & Benefits Center of Excellence. 

Analytics & Reporting 

• Provide actionable insights through compensation and payroll data analysis. 
• Deliver executive-level reporting and recommendations. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Finance, or related field. Advanced degree or certifications (e.g., CCP, CPP) preferred. 
• 5+ years of experience in compensation and payroll across multi-state environments. 
• Strong knowledge of U.S. payroll laws and regulatory requirements. 
• Expertise in compensation benchmarking and market analysis. 
• Proven experience leading complex system implementations. 

Preferred Skills 

• Experience with HRIS and payroll platforms (e.g., Workday, ADP, SAP). 
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills. 
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities. 
• Business acumen and ability t