Senior Payroll Tax Analyst / Payroll Tax Manager
We are seeking a detail-oriented Senior Payroll Tax Analyst / Payroll Tax Manager to oversee payroll tax compliance across North America in a multi-state payroll environment. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate payroll tax calculations, filings, remittances, reporting, and regulatory compliance. The successful candidate will partner closely with Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, and third-party vendors to maintain compliance with federal, state, local, and Canadian payroll tax requirements while supporting payroll operations and continuous process improvements.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Tax Compliance
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, local, and Canadian payroll tax laws and regulations.
- Monitor legislative and regulatory changes impacting payroll taxes and assess operational implications.
- Coordinate the implementation of payroll tax updates and compliance requirements.
- Maintain payroll tax procedures, internal controls, and supporting documentation.
Tax Filing & Reporting
- Review and validate payroll tax calculations, deductions, and withholdings.
- Support the preparation, reconciliation, and submission of quarterly and annual payroll tax filings.
- Coordinate year-end reporting processes, including W-2 preparation and related tax filings.
- Ensure timely and accurate remittance of tax payments and submission of regulatory reports.
Tax Reconciliation & Analysis
- Perform payroll tax account reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
- Research, analyze, and resolve payroll tax variances and compliance issues.
- Audit payroll data to ensure accurate taxation and jurisdictional assignments.
- Analyze payroll tax trends and prepare management reports and recommendations.
Agency Correspondence & Issue Resolution
- Respond to federal, state, local, and Canadian tax notices and agency inquiries.
- Partner with third-party tax providers and government agencies to resolve payroll tax matters.
- Manage tax account registrations, unemployment tax rates, and jurisdictional updates.
- Track, document, and resolve payroll tax notices and compliance issues.
Systems & Process Improvement
- Participate in payroll system testing related to tax updates and regulatory changes.
- Support payroll tax automation initiatives and process improvements.
- Assist with system upgrades, mergers, acquisitions, and organizational changes impacting payroll tax.
- Recommend solutions that improve efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and scalability.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Payroll, HR, Finance, Accounting, and external vendors on payroll tax matters.
- Provide guidance and expertise on payroll tax regulations and compliance requirements.
- Support internal and external audits by supplying documentation and analysis.
- Assist with special projects and ad hoc reporting requests as needed.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
- 3+ years of payroll tax, payroll compliance, or payroll administration experience.
- Experience supporting both U.S. and Canadian payroll tax functions.
- Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
- Experience managing payroll tax filings, reconciliations, and agency correspondence.
- Proficiency with payroll systems such as ADP, Workday, UKG, Dayforce, SAP, Oracle, or similar platforms.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and analytical skills.
- Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and problem-solving abilities.
Preferred
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
- Experience supporting large, multi-state payroll environments.
- Knowledge of SOX controls and audit requirements.
- Experience working with large employee populations and high-volume payroll processing environments.
Key Competencies
- Payroll tax compliance expertise
- Analytical and reconciliation skills
- Process improvement mindset
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Strong communication and stakeholder management
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Customer service orientation and collaborative approach to problem solving
