Senior Director, HR Operations & Technology
Patterson Companies, Minneapolis, MN, United States
The
Senior Director, HR Operations & Technology
provides strategic and operational leadership across HR Technology, HR Compliance, HR Operations, and Payroll. This role is responsible for building scalable, compliant, and employee-centered HR infrastructure that enables business performance, regulatory adherence, and an exceptional employee experience.
Reporting to the Chief People and Communications Officer, this leader partners closely with HR Centers of Excellence, Finance, Legal, IT, and business leaders to modernize HR systems, optimize service delivery, and ensure accurate, compliant payroll and workforce administration.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership
Develop and execute a multi-year strategy for HR Technology, Operations, Compliance, and Payroll aligned with business objectives and workforce strategy.
Serve as a trusted advisor to HR leadership and senior executives on HR operational effectiveness, risk management, and technology enablement.
Lead and mentor a team of managers and professionals across HR Operations, HRIS, Compliance, and Payroll, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and service excellence.
HR Technology & Systems
Own and lead the strategy for the HR technology ecosystem, including HRIS, payroll systems, time and attendance, benefits administration, and employee self-service tools.
Partner with IT and vendors to ensure system stability, data integrity, security, and scalability.
Lead system implementations, upgrades, integrations, and automation initiatives to improve efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
Establish governance, documentation, and controls for HR data management and reporting.
Establish a data and analytics capability to enable strong dashboards and employee metrics that are easy for HR and business leaders to use and gain insights from
HR Operations
Oversee core HR operational processes including employee lifecycle transactions, data management, policy administration, and case management.
Design and continuously improve HR service delivery models, workflows, and SLAs to enhance employee and manager experience.
Leverage analytics and KPIs to monitor performance, identify trends, and drive operational improvements.
HR Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations (e.g., wage and hour, recordkeeping, audits, reporting).
Partner with Legal and internal stakeholders to manage audits, investigations, and regulatory inquiries.
Establish internal controls, policies, and procedures to mitigate HR-related risk and ensure consistent application across the organization.
Payroll Leadership
Provide executive oversight of payroll operations to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.
Partner with Finance and external vendors to manage payroll controls, reconciliations, and audits.
Ensure payroll practices comply with tax, wage and hour, and reporting requirements across all applicable jurisdictions.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
Financial & Vendor Management
Manage departmental budgets, vendor relationships, and contracts related to HR systems, payroll, and operations.
Evaluate and negotiate vendor performance, service levels, and cost effectiveness.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field.
12+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including significant responsibility for HR Operations, HR Technology, and Payroll.
Proven experience leading complex HR systems and operational teams in a multi-state and/or enterprise environment.
Deep knowledge of employment law, payroll compliance, and HR operational best practices.
6+ years leading teams and people management
Strong leadership, change management, and stakeholder influence skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree (MBA, MHRM, or similar).
Experience with large-scale HRIS and payroll platforms (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle, ADP, UKG).
Professional certifications such as SPHR, SHRM-SCP, or PMP.
Key Competencies
Strategic and systems thinking
Operational excellence and process optimization
Risk management and compliance leadership
Data-driven decision-making
Executive presence and communication
Talent development and team leadership
The potential compensation range for this role is below. The final offer amount would be based on various factors such as candidate location (geographical labor market), experience, and skills.$157,300.00 - $196,700.00
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Senior Director, HR Operations & Technology
provides strategic and operational leadership across HR Technology, HR Compliance, HR Operations, and Payroll. This role is responsible for building scalable, compliant, and employee-centered HR infrastructure that enables business performance, regulatory adherence, and an exceptional employee experience.
Reporting to the Chief People and Communications Officer, this leader partners closely with HR Centers of Excellence, Finance, Legal, IT, and business leaders to modernize HR systems, optimize service delivery, and ensure accurate, compliant payroll and workforce administration.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership
Develop and execute a multi-year strategy for HR Technology, Operations, Compliance, and Payroll aligned with business objectives and workforce strategy.
Serve as a trusted advisor to HR leadership and senior executives on HR operational effectiveness, risk management, and technology enablement.
Lead and mentor a team of managers and professionals across HR Operations, HRIS, Compliance, and Payroll, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and service excellence.
HR Technology & Systems
Own and lead the strategy for the HR technology ecosystem, including HRIS, payroll systems, time and attendance, benefits administration, and employee self-service tools.
Partner with IT and vendors to ensure system stability, data integrity, security, and scalability.
Lead system implementations, upgrades, integrations, and automation initiatives to improve efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
Establish governance, documentation, and controls for HR data management and reporting.
Establish a data and analytics capability to enable strong dashboards and employee metrics that are easy for HR and business leaders to use and gain insights from
HR Operations
Oversee core HR operational processes including employee lifecycle transactions, data management, policy administration, and case management.
Design and continuously improve HR service delivery models, workflows, and SLAs to enhance employee and manager experience.
Leverage analytics and KPIs to monitor performance, identify trends, and drive operational improvements.
HR Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations (e.g., wage and hour, recordkeeping, audits, reporting).
Partner with Legal and internal stakeholders to manage audits, investigations, and regulatory inquiries.
Establish internal controls, policies, and procedures to mitigate HR-related risk and ensure consistent application across the organization.
Payroll Leadership
Provide executive oversight of payroll operations to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.
Partner with Finance and external vendors to manage payroll controls, reconciliations, and audits.
Ensure payroll practices comply with tax, wage and hour, and reporting requirements across all applicable jurisdictions.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
Financial & Vendor Management
Manage departmental budgets, vendor relationships, and contracts related to HR systems, payroll, and operations.
Evaluate and negotiate vendor performance, service levels, and cost effectiveness.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field.
12+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including significant responsibility for HR Operations, HR Technology, and Payroll.
Proven experience leading complex HR systems and operational teams in a multi-state and/or enterprise environment.
Deep knowledge of employment law, payroll compliance, and HR operational best practices.
6+ years leading teams and people management
Strong leadership, change management, and stakeholder influence skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree (MBA, MHRM, or similar).
Experience with large-scale HRIS and payroll platforms (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle, ADP, UKG).
Professional certifications such as SPHR, SHRM-SCP, or PMP.
Key Competencies
Strategic and systems thinking
Operational excellence and process optimization
Risk management and compliance leadership
Data-driven decision-making
Executive presence and communication
Talent development and team leadership
The potential compensation range for this role is below. The final offer amount would be based on various factors such as candidate location (geographical labor market), experience, and skills.$157,300.00 - $196,700.00
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