Michael G.Francis — HCM Executive & Advisory Leader
MBA · CPP · PM Certified
Three decades transforming global payroll, HCM systems, and human capital strategy for Fortune 500 enterprises — now advising the next generation of operations leaders.
"The payroll function is not administrative. It is the heartbeat of organizational trust."
— Michael G. Francis · GPMI Published Author
Areas of Expertise
30 Years. One Standard of Excellence.
Michael G. Francis has spent 30 years at the intersection of global payroll, HCM technology, and human capital strategy — leading transformations across Big 4 advisory, Entertainment & Gaming, Oil & Gas, Technology, and Consumer Goods. He has built and rebuilt payroll Centers of Excellence on three continents and stood up shared service operations from Houston to Hyderabad.
His technical fluency spans the major HCM platforms — Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle Fusion, ADP, and UKG — paired with PROSCI- and PMI-grade discipline in change management, governance, and program delivery. That combination is rare: deep system expertise, executed at enterprise scale, with the operating muscle to make adoption stick.
Michael is a four-time American Payroll Association National Congress speaker, addressing more than 5,000 HCM and payroll professionals from the main stage, and a 15+ year published voice in GPMI Magazine — the industry's flagship publication for global payroll leadership.
SBA Communications
16 markets · Workday HCM lead
Seminole Hard Rock
$800K IRS penalty recovery · 24K+ employees
Ernst & Young (EY)
Big 4 · $1M+ client savings · GPMI author
Johnson & Johnson
80 legal entities · SAP lead · Global M&A
Where Strategy Meets Execution.
Senior advisory engagements for organizations navigating HCM complexity, technology transformation, or operational scale.
HCM Technology Selection & Implementation
RFP to go-live. Enterprise platform selection, vendor negotiation, and full lifecycle implementation across Workday, SAP, Oracle, and ADP.
Global Payroll Operations Architecture
Compliant, scalable multi-country payroll Centers of Excellence. SOX governance, Six Sigma discipline, and 30 years of operational pattern recognition.
M&A Integration & HR Carve-Outs
Proven track record at Johnson & Johnson, Applied Materials, and Seminole Hard Rock — including legal-entity restructuring and Day-One readiness.
Organizational Change Management
PROSCI and PMI certified. Human-centered change strategies that increase adoption and protect implementation ROI.
Compliance & Risk Mitigation
Payroll tax risk, IRS exposure, multi-state compliance, and international employment law across 16+ markets.
Team & COE Development
Lean Six Sigma certification programs, RACI restructuring, and career path design for global payroll and HCM teams.
A National Voice in Global Payroll.
Four consecutive years on the national conference stage — addressing 5,000+ HCM and payroll professionals — and a 15+ year published author in the industry's flagship publication.
44th APA Payroll Congress Convention & Expo
"Maximizing the Consultant Relationship During a Payroll Implementation" — co-presented with Jay Conforti of KPMG. Also served as Featured Panelist.
APA National Payroll Congress
Global HCM technology adoption and multi-market compliance strategy.
APA National Payroll Congress
Building high-performing payroll COEs through Lean Six Sigma and change leadership.
APA National Payroll Congress
Enterprise HCM implementation leadership from the front line of global system transformation.
EY Payroll Roundtable — Year-End Processing
APA-approved training presenter.
Invite Michael to Speak
Conferences, executive retreats, vendor user groups, and private leadership forums. Sessions are tailored to the audience — and always grounded in 30 years of operating reality.
Thought Leadership in Print.
Change Management in Payroll: A Practitioner's Framework
A two-part exploration of why payroll transformations succeed or fail — published in the Global Payroll Management Institute Magazine, August/September 2015.
Why Payroll Must Have a Seat at the Strategy Table
Reframing payroll from cost center to strategic lever — the operational signals that boards and CHROs should be reading.
The Anatomy of a High-Performing Global Payroll COE
Structure, governance, technology, and talent — the four pillars behind a payroll function that scales without breaking.
Ready to Engage at the Executive Level?
Whether you're seeking a strategic advisor, a conference speaker, or a VP-level partner for your HCM transformation — Michael is ready to talk.
- Emailmichael@hcmexecutive.com
- Websitehcmexecutive.com
- LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/mfrancismbashareservicespm
- LocationLake Worth, FL · Open to Remote & Relocation