COO Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Tennessee
Tennessee's COO market spans healthcare systems like HCA Healthcare and Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, logistics and distribution hubs in Memphis, and a growing manufacturing sector statewide. International candidates pursuing COO roles here typically require H-1B visa sponsorship, with Nashville and Memphis offering the deepest concentration of employers with established immigration programs.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Director of Payroll Operations provides strategic, operational, and transformational leadership grounded in Vanderbilt’s mission and vision. The Director ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while modernizing operations through automation, advanced analytics, process redesign, and the effective use of Oracle Cloud HCM and other enabling technologies.
The Director serves as the institution’s primary subject matter expert on payroll compliance, employment tax, and other payroll-related operational risks. This leader establishes a continuous improvement discipline that reduces manual work, strengthens controls, improves data integrity, and creates a more efficient and responsive colleague experience.
The role requires a service-centered mindset and the ability to radically collaborate across People, Culture and Belonging, Finance, VUIT, and institutional business units to achieve shared goals. The Director will develop and execute a multiyear payroll modernization roadmap that advances payroll from a largely transactional function to a technology-enabled, data-informed, and scalable operation.
KEY FUNCTIONS AND EXPECTED PERFORMANCE:
Payroll Operations Management
- Provide leadership and oversight of all daily payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing
- Supervise payroll staff, establish priorities, assign work, and monitor performance
- Supervise the international tax team and oversee all 1042-S international tax reporting
- Ensure payroll processing complies with institutional policies, collective bargaining agreements, federal and state regulations, and tax requirements
- Review and approve payroll transactions, adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, and special payments
- Oversee payroll reconciliations, payroll tax reporting, deductions, garnishments, retirement contributions, and month-end processing
- Oversee quarterly payroll tax filings at both the federal and state levels
- Maintain appropriate internal controls to safeguard payroll data and institutional assets
- Serve as the primary resource for resolving complex payroll issues and escalated employee concerns
Payroll Transformation and Operational Excellence
- Develop and execute a multiyear payroll modernization roadmap aligned with Vanderbilt’s mission, growth and operational priorities
- Assess and redesign payroll workflows, procedures, and controls to improve accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and service
- Optimize Oracle Cloud HCM and other enabling technologies to automate processes, reduce manual intervention, strengthen data integrity, and improve employee self-service
- Establish a continuous improvement discipline using process mapping, root-cause analysis, performance data, and clear operational measures
- Lead system enhancements, testing, and adoption while maintaining strong internal controls, segregation of duties, documentation, and regulatory compliance
Compliance and Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with federal and state wage and hour laws, tax regulations, retirement reporting requirements, and higher education-specific payroll regulations
- Monitor legislative and regulatory changes affecting payroll operations and implement required updates
- Coordinate internal and external payroll audits and respond to audit requests
- Strengthen internal controls and ensure appropriate segregation of duties throughout payroll processes
Systems and Collaboration
- Partner with VUIT Oracle team to optimize payroll system functionality
- Collaborate with Finance to ensure accurate payroll accounting, reconciliations, and financial reporting
- Participate in system upgrades, testing, implementations, and process enhancements
- Build strong collaborative relationships across departments to improve service delivery and communication
Leadership and Staff Development
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and guidance to payroll staff
- Foster a collaborative, customer-focused, and continuous improvement culture
- Identify training needs and support professional development opportunities
- Manage departmental priorities and allocate resources to meet institutional deadlines
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS:
This position has direct supervisory responsibility over the Assistant Director of Payroll, and a total team size of five payroll and international tax professionals.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required
- Advanced degree (MBA or Master's degree esp. in a related field) is preferred
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is preferred
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:
- Eight or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience in a large, complex organization of 3,000 or more employees, including multi-state payroll tax compliance
- Experience with nonresident foreign national taxation, U.S. tax treaties, and international tax compliance systems
- Deep expertise with enterprise HR and payroll platforms, such as Oracle Cloud HCM, Workday, PeopleSoft, or SAP
- Demonstrated experience leading payroll automation, process optimization, or technology-enabled transformation
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop payroll and tax professionals
- Proficiency in payroll analytics and experience applying AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency, controls, and decision-making
- Experience with workflow automation or process optimization applied to payroll or HR operations
- Adaptability, sound judgment, and unquestioned integrity
INTRODUCTION
The Director of Payroll Operations provides strategic, operational, and transformational leadership grounded in Vanderbilt’s mission and vision. The Director ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while modernizing operations through automation, advanced analytics, process redesign, and the effective use of Oracle Cloud HCM and other enabling technologies.
The Director serves as the institution’s primary subject matter expert on payroll compliance, employment tax, and other payroll-related operational risks. This leader establishes a continuous improvement discipline that reduces manual work, strengthens controls, improves data integrity, and creates a more efficient and responsive colleague experience.
The role requires a service-centered mindset and the ability to radically collaborate across People, Culture and Belonging, Finance, VUIT, and institutional business units to achieve shared goals. The Director will develop and execute a multiyear payroll modernization roadmap that advances payroll from a largely transactional function to a technology-enabled, data-informed, and scalable operation.
KEY FUNCTIONS AND EXPECTED PERFORMANCE:
Payroll Operations Management
- Provide leadership and oversight of all daily payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing
- Supervise payroll staff, establish priorities, assign work, and monitor performance
- Supervise the international tax team and oversee all 1042-S international tax reporting
- Ensure payroll processing complies with institutional policies, collective bargaining agreements, federal and state regulations, and tax requirements
- Review and approve payroll transactions, adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, and special payments
- Oversee payroll reconciliations, payroll tax reporting, deductions, garnishments, retirement contributions, and month-end processing
- Oversee quarterly payroll tax filings at both the federal and state levels
- Maintain appropriate internal controls to safeguard payroll data and institutional assets
- Serve as the primary resource for resolving complex payroll issues and escalated employee concerns
Payroll Transformation and Operational Excellence
- Develop and execute a multiyear payroll modernization roadmap aligned with Vanderbilt’s mission, growth and operational priorities
- Assess and redesign payroll workflows, procedures, and controls to improve accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and service
- Optimize Oracle Cloud HCM and other enabling technologies to automate processes, reduce manual intervention, strengthen data integrity, and improve employee self-service
- Establish a continuous improvement discipline using process mapping, root-cause analysis, performance data, and clear operational measures
- Lead system enhancements, testing, and adoption while maintaining strong internal controls, segregation of duties, documentation, and regulatory compliance
Compliance and Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with federal and state wage and hour laws, tax regulations, retirement reporting requirements, and higher education-specific payroll regulations
- Monitor legislative and regulatory changes affecting payroll operations and implement required updates
- Coordinate internal and external payroll audits and respond to audit requests
- Strengthen internal controls and ensure appropriate segregation of duties throughout payroll processes
Systems and Collaboration
- Partner with VUIT Oracle team to optimize payroll system functionality
- Collaborate with Finance to ensure accurate payroll accounting, reconciliations, and financial reporting
- Participate in system upgrades, testing, implementations, and process enhancements
- Build strong collaborative relationships across departments to improve service delivery and communication
Leadership and Staff Development
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and guidance to payroll staff
- Foster a collaborative, customer-focused, and continuous improvement culture
- Identify training needs and support professional development opportunities
- Manage departmental priorities and allocate resources to meet institutional deadlines
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS:
This position has direct supervisory responsibility over the Assistant Director of Payroll, and a total team size of five payroll and international tax professionals.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required
- Advanced degree (MBA or Master's degree esp. in a related field) is preferred
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is preferred
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:
- Eight or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience in a large, complex organization of 3,000 or more employees, including multi-state payroll tax compliance
- Experience with nonresident foreign national taxation, U.S. tax treaties, and international tax compliance systems
- Deep expertise with enterprise HR and payroll platforms, such as Oracle Cloud HCM, Workday, PeopleSoft, or SAP
- Demonstrated experience leading payroll automation, process optimization, or technology-enabled transformation
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop payroll and tax professionals
- Proficiency in payroll analytics and experience applying AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency, controls, and decision-making
- Experience with workflow automation or process optimization applied to payroll or HR operations
- Adaptability, sound judgment, and unquestioned integrity
COO Job Roles in Tennessee
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Search COO Jobs in TennesseeCOO Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for COOs in Tennessee?
Healthcare organizations lead COO visa sponsorship in Tennessee, with HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Community Health Systems all maintaining active H-1B sponsorship programs. FedEx and AutoZone in Memphis also have immigration infrastructure for senior leadership hires. Technology companies concentrated in the Nashville Corridor and larger manufacturing firms have sponsored COO-level roles, though sponsorship at the C-suite level is evaluated case by case.
Which visa types are most common for COO roles in Tennessee?
The H-1B is the most common visa for COO roles in Tennessee, as the position qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring a directly related bachelor's degree or higher in business, operations management, or a related field. Executives transferring within multinational companies may qualify for the L-1A intracompany transferee visa. Candidates with extraordinary achievement in their field may pursue the O-1A, though this requires substantial documented recognition.
Which cities in Tennessee have the most COO sponsorship jobs?
Nashville accounts for the majority of COO-level sponsorship activity in Tennessee, driven by its concentration of healthcare systems, financial services firms, and a rapidly expanding technology sector. Memphis follows, with logistics, supply chain, and distribution companies regularly hiring at the operations leadership level. Knoxville has a smaller but active market tied to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and regional manufacturing operations.
How to find coo visa sponsorship jobs in Tennessee?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find COO visa sponsorship jobs in Tennessee, as the platform filters specifically for roles where employers have indicated sponsorship willingness. Because COO positions are senior and often filled through targeted searches rather than broad postings, filtering by Tennessee and checking sponsorship status on Migrate Mate saves significant time compared to manually researching individual employers.
Are there state-specific considerations for COO visa sponsorship in Tennessee?
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, which can factor into compensation structuring for COO offers, though prevailing wage requirements under H-1B rules are set at the federal level by the Department of Labor regardless of state tax treatment. Nashville's healthcare industry concentration means many COO openings are tied to regulated health system environments, where immigration petitions can involve additional compliance review due to the nature of the employer's operations.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored coo jobs in Tennessee?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.