Donna Cothran, CPP
Summerfield,FL
Summary
Dynamic Payroll Project Manager with extensive experience at Robert Half Management Resources, specializing in multistate payroll administration and global payroll solutions. Achieved a 99.9% payroll processing accuracy while leading teams and implementing efficient systems. Adept at project management and employee training, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Payroll Project Manager
Robert Half Management Resources
Nashville, TN
06.2022 - 03.2025
- Company Overview: Places skilled Senior-level Accounting, Finance and Business Systems Professionals on a project or consulting basis.
- Contract Employee for Freshfields US, LLC.
- Managed payroll processing, multi-state tax reporting and general ledger reconciliation for a leading global law firm based in UK, with offices in NY, DC, CA and NC.
- Completed projects that included General Ledger Integration Implementation of WorkDay payroll from ADP Workforce Now which resulted in increased efficiencies.
- Documented standard operating procedures for HR and Payroll team.
- Identified risks associated with each project and developed strategies for mitigating those risks.
- Maintained confidentiality of sensitive employee information while performing duties as required by law.
- Developed policies and procedures to ensure accurate payroll operations in a timely manner.
- Monitored changes in state and federal laws affecting payroll administration.
- Resolved complex customer service inquiries related to payroll matters.
Payroll Manager
Robert Half Management Resources
Nashville, TN
07.2021 - 06.2022
- Contract Payroll Manager for Lyft, Inc.
- Verified accuracy of employee hours worked, pay rate changes, deductions, bonuses, and other payroll data.
- Reconciled monthly payroll accounts to ensure accurate payments to employees.
- Managed the payroll processing and year-end reporting for the Canada team members, using ADP Celergo Payroll integrated with Workday HCM.
Director of Payroll
Robert Half Management Resources
Nashville, TN
11.2019 - 07.2021
- Contract Payroll Director for Tradesmen, International, Inc.
- Directed a payroll team of 11, and oversaw the processing of payroll for over 9,000 employees.
- Handled escalated issues and advised upper management on best practices.
- Managed certified payrolls for government construction contracts.
- Provided guidance regarding interpretation of federal and state labor laws related to wages, salaries, overtime regulations.
Payroll Manager
LBMC Staffing Solutions
Brentwood, TN
09.2018 - 02.2019
- Company Overview: Dedicated to finding the right job for the right person, specializing in Accounting, Finance, HR, IT, and Manufacturing.
- Contract Payroll Manager for Back Yard Burgers.
- Processed payroll through the transition from Inova Payroll System to PayCor Payroll System.
Claims Analyst
ARX Healthcare
Franklin, TN
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Company Overview: Revenue cycle operations company for hospitals throughout the United States.
- Revenue cycle operations company for hospitals throughout the United States.
Temporary Assignments
Robert Half Management Resources
Nashville, TN
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Assisted in the processing of bi-weekly payroll for +3,500 physicians throughout the United States.
- Assisted in the processing of bi-weekly payroll for truck drivers throughout the United States.
Payroll Director
WSquared
Brentwood, TN
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Company Overview: Delivered optimal integrated solutions for Accounting, Finance, Technology, Human Resources and Payroll.
- Directed a team of four payroll coordinators in the administration of payroll and taxes for a growing company which served 60 + clients throughout the United States using ADP Workforce Now.
- Researched and resolved payroll tax issues for new client to assure a smooth implementation when adding a new client.
- Directed the payroll processing to ensure timely and accurate payrolls and tax deposits.
- Delivered optimal integrated solutions for Accounting, Finance, Technology, Human Resources and Payroll.
Manager – Payroll and Accounts Payable
The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
Reading, PA
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Company Overview: Provides medical service to patient. The Reading Hospital is the largest employer in Reading employing 7,000 employers.
- Responsible for managing accurate and timely payroll processing an integrated payroll supporting 7,000 healthcare employees with a total payroll of +$4,000,000 annually using in-house Lawson payroll software supporting 5 entities.
- Responsible for the accuracy and compliance for submission of all federal, state, and local payroll taxes within the applicable entities with a staff of 4 payroll specialists.
- Responsible for the Accounts Payable operation with a staff of 6 accounts payable specialists who distribute over $250,000,000 million quarterly.
- Provides medical service to patient. The Reading Hospital is the largest employer in Reading employing 7,000 employers.
Director - Payroll and Compensation
Regency Hospital Company
Alpharetta, GA
01.2008 - 01.2012
- Company Overview: Provided services to medically complex patients requiring extended length of stay in an acute care environment. Regency Hospital Company was comprised of 23 hospitals in nine states.
- Responsible for managing accurate and timely payroll processing supporting 3,300 employees across the East Coast and Midwest territories.
- Directed a staff of six employees, with indirect accountability for hospital HR managers.
- Accountable for all facets of compensation, including salary administration, performance and development, merit increase programs and employee market data.
- Oversee payroll tax submissions, statutory reports, and regulatory compliance.
- Align and integrate payroll systems and processes with accounting controls and reporting.
- Resolve non-routine payroll issues, provide ongoing staff training, and develop/integrate internal controls.
- Turned around payroll operations that had been neglected for seven years.
- Introduced auditing, tax balancing, and processing timeline procedures, which avoided Regency being overbilled and having to outsource payroll.
- Increased payroll processing accuracy from 82% to 99.9% and reduced manual check production by 20%.
- Saved $50K annually by improving operational efficiencies, thereby reducing headcount.
- Identified a problem in processing overtime pay; worked with the Department of Labor to remedy past discrepancies and instituted processes to ensure future accuracy, thus avoiding litigation.
- Redesigned the merit program to align with corporate vision and objectives and led communications efforts with executive management and employees to ensure a seamless transition to the new program.
- Designed wage plans where none had existed, including job evaluations and benchmarking to local markets.
- Provided services to medically complex patients requiring extended length of stay in an acute care environment. Regency Hospital Company was comprised of 23 hospitals in nine states.
Payroll Manager
ADP, Inc.
Alpharetta, GA
01.2006 - 01.2008
- Company Overview: A global provider of integrated business outsourcing solutions; generating $8B in annual revenues with 585,000+ clients worldwide.
- Defined long-term strategic payroll plans that complimented administrative needs and organizational direction in a shared services environment.
- Developed and implemented payroll policies and procedures to maximize accuracy and timeliness of payroll processing for 16,000+ BlackRock, Inc. employees.
- Ensured compliance with all garnishment and support orders, federal, state, and local tax withholding.
- Oversaw tax submissions and statutory reporting.
- Aligned HR systems and processes with accounting controls and reporting.
- Managed a staff of five employees.
- Met or exceeded all service standards as agreed in client contracts; surpassed team objectives by 10% in 2007 as measured by client quality service surveys.
- Achieved all SAS 70 requirements with respect to accounting systems, process controls and reporting.
- Earned the '2008 Customer Satisfaction Survey Award' for having the highest customer satisfaction score out of 30 employees in the division.
- Served on a special committee to document payroll processes for new department wide Procedures Manual for payroll processing and to meet SAS 70 requirements.
- A global provider of integrated business outsourcing solutions; generating $8B in annual revenues with 585,000+ clients worldwide.
Contract Payroll Consultant
LKQ Corporation
Nashville, TN
10.2005 - 12.2005
- Balanced payroll for year-end processing.
- Resolved issues preventing year-end close.
- Successfully processed year-end W-2s and tax reporting for over 51,000 employees.
Education
M.A. - Psychology
Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville, TNB.S., Cum Laude - Human Resources Management
Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville, TNA.S. - Accounting
Draughons Junior College
Nashville, TNSkills
- Multistate payroll administration
- Payroll auditing and implementations
- General ledger management
- Payroll tax expert
- Global payroll experience
- Year-end procedures
- Employee training and development
- HRIS implementation
- EEO, FLSA, and FMLA compliance
- Documentation development
- Project management expertise
- Excel proficiency
- Payroll accounting
- Attention to detail
Certification
- Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), World at Work, 2008
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), American Payroll Association, 2012
- Member, Payroll Org
Timeline
Payroll Project Manager
Robert Half Management Resources
06.2022 - 03.2025
Payroll Manager
Robert Half Management Resources
07.2021 - 06.2022
Director of Payroll
Robert Half Management Resources
11.2019 - 07.2021
Payroll Manager
LBMC Staffing Solutions
09.2018 - 02.2019
Claims Analyst
ARX Healthcare
01.2017 - 01.2018
Temporary Assignments
Robert Half Management Resources
01.2015 - 01.2016
Payroll Director
WSquared
01.2013 - 01.2015
Manager – Payroll and Accounts Payable
The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
01.2012 - 01.2013
Director - Payroll and Compensation
Regency Hospital Company
01.2008 - 01.2012
Payroll Manager
ADP, Inc.
01.2006 - 01.2008
Contract Payroll Consultant
LKQ Corporation
10.2005 - 12.2005
M.A. - Psychology
Trevecca Nazarene University
B.S., Cum Laude - Human Resources Management
Trevecca Nazarene University
A.S. - Accounting
Draughons Junior College
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