Director of Payroll

Job Description

Job Description

DEPARTMENT : People & Culture

REPORTS TO : Vice President, People & Culture

STATUS : Full-time, Exempt

LOCATION : Chicago, IL ( Hybrid Eligible)

Through artistic excellence coupled with innovative, relevant programming; initiatives to connect with and grow new audiences; engagement with communities to ignite creativity across Chicago; and a modernized Opera House that is the setting for truly great experiences, Lyric is leading the advancement  of opera. This collaborative vision will deliver ever more exciting, thought-provoking and inclusive audience and community experiences – while increasing the gravitational pull of our art form, our company, and our city.

The Director of Payroll oversees the strategic and operational management of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s payroll function, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant processing for all employees across administrative, seasonal, and represented union groups. This position is responsible for payroll administration supporting approximately 500 employees across 11 collective bargaining units and 100+ administrative staff.

The Director serves as the organization’s subject matter expert on payroll operations and compliance, working collaboratively with colleagues across Finance, IT, Artistic, Technical & Production, and People & Culture to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and integrity in all payroll practices. The ideal candidate is a seasoned payroll professional with strong leadership experience in complex, unionized environments and a demonstrated commitment to confidentiality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

Strategic Leadership

• Direct all aspects of payroll operations for approximately 500 employees across 11 collective bargaining units and 100+ administrative staff.
• Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert on payroll-related compliance, taxation, and reporting.
• Partner with Finance, IT, Artistic, Technical & Production, and People & Culture teams to align payroll systems, processes, and reporting with organizational and financial goals.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, and employee experience.
• Oversee payroll system upgrades, integrations, and migrations (e.g., ADP Workforce Now) in collaboration with internal and external partners.

Operational Management

Compliance and Reporting

Collaboration and Service

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS :

Education & Experience

Skills & Competencies

Core Values

COMPETENCIES :

WORK CONDITIONS :

COMPENSATION :

Job Classification : Full-time, Exempt

Salary Range is $90,000-$120,000

Application Deadline : Monday, October 20, 2025 (5 : 00pm CT)

Lyric Opera offers benefits including health, dental, vision, 403B (no company match), 401(k) with company match, PTO (including sick, vacation, and personal days, and holidays), life / AD&D coverage, opportunities for professional development, and complimentary tickets.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to enhancing our diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Lyric prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, parental status, socio-economic status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable federal, state or local laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

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