Director of Payroll

Job Description

The Director of Payroll is responsible for the strategic leadership, execution, and continuous improvement of payroll operations across a multi-state, high-growth EPC and related services organization. This role ensures accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing for both salaried and hourly field employees, while building scalable systems, strong controls, and a high-performing payroll team. The Director of Payroll serves as a key partner to People & Culture, Finance, Legal, and Field Operations, supporting complex labor structures, prevailing wage requirements, union and non-union environments, and project-based workforces.

This role is located full-time in the San Diego, CA office. Specific location details and expectations will be discussed during the interview process.

Position Responsibilities and Duties

• Lead and evolve payroll strategy to support rapid growth, geographic expansion, and project-based labor models.
• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing payroll team with a focus on accuracy, accountability, and service.
• Establish payroll policies, procedures, controls, and documentation aligned with best practices.
• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for salaried and hourly employees across multiple states.
• Ensure accurate processing of wages, overtime, per diem, bonuses, commissions, retro pay, and off-cycle payments.
• Manage payroll calendars, cutoffs, approvals, and audit readiness. Partner with HRIS, IT (Time & Attendance), Labor Compliance, and Finance to ensure clean upstream and downstream data.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local wage and hour laws.
• Oversee payroll compliance related to: ???Prevailing wage and certified payroll reporting. Union and non-union labor requirements. Multi-state taxation and local jurisdiction rules.
• Manage payroll audits, internal controls, and SOX-aligned processes.
• Stay current on regulatory changes impacting payroll and labor compliance.
• Own payroll systems and vendor relationships (e.g., ADP, Workday, CMiC, or similar).
• Lead payroll system implementations, upgrades, and M&A integrations.
• Drive automation, standardization, and process efficiencies across payroll operations, including acquisitions.
• Partner with IT and HRIS teams on data governance and system optimization.
• Collaborate closely with: Field Operations and Project Controls on labor forecasting and reporting. Finance on reconciliations, accruals, and payroll costing. People & Culture on employee experience, onboarding, and offboarding.
• Act as a trusted advisor on payroll implications for new projects, acquisitions, or workforce changes.

Minimum Skills or Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of progressive payroll experience, including leadership of payroll teams.
• Deep experience with multi-state payroll in a high-volume, hourly workforce environment.
• Strong knowledge of wage and hour laws, payroll tax compliance, and labor regulations including California pay rules.
• Experience supporting construction, EPC, energy, or similarly complex project-based industries.
• Ability to travel as required to support teams across SOLV's corporate offices and other locations.
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation.
• Experience with prevailing wage and certified payroll reporting.
• Experience in both union and non-union environments.
• Payroll system implementation or transformation experience.
• Public company or SOX-controlled environment experience.
• Strategic mindset with strong operational execution.
• High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to operate in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Continuous improvement and problem-solving orientation.

SOLV Energy Is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At SOLV Energy we celebrate the power of our differences. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits

Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance. Employees can enroll in our company's 401(k) plan and are provided vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Compensation Range

$148,190 - $185,237

Pay Rate Type: Salary

SOLV Energy does not accept unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes from third-party recruiters or staffing agencies. We require all third-party recruiters to communicate exclusively with our internal talent acquisition team. SOLV Energy will not pay a placement fee to any third-party recruiter or agency that has not coordinated their recruiting activity with the appropriate member of our internal talent acquisition team.

In addition, candidate introductions or resumes can only be submitted to our internal talent acquisition recruiting team if a signed vendor agreement is already on file and the third-party recruiter or agency has received formal instructions from our internal talent acquisition team to submit candidates for a particular job posting.

Any unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes sent by third-party recruiters to SOLV Energy or directly to any of our employees, or received through our website or career portal, will be considered property of SOLV Energy and will not be eligible for a placement fee. In the event a third-party recruiter submits a resume or refers a candidate without a previously signed vendor agreement, SOLV Energy explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire the candidate(s) without financial liability to such third-party recruiter.