Payroll Services Specialist - Remote

Overview

This role is part of Payroll Tax Operations, supporting accurate and timely resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. As a Senior Payroll Tax Processor, you will be a core production contributor handling a high-volume case workload with meaningful independence and strong technical competence. The position is ideal for a detail-oriented, customer-focused payroll tax professional with hands-on notice resolution experience, who can also mentor peers and continue building technical depth.

Responsibilities

• Execute full-cycle payroll tax case work for assigned accounts, including:
  • Process payroll runs accurately
  • Audit pre- and post-payroll output
  • Manage tax filings and payments
  • Maintain compliance across all active jurisdictions
• Independently research and resolve complex State and Federal payroll tax notices, including:
  • Balance-due notices
  • Deposit discrepancies
  • SUI rate change notices
  • Account mismatch notices
  • Own each case from intake through confirmed closure
• Prepare written agency responses with complete supporting documentation; submit within agency-required deadlines and confirm receipt
• Prepare amended payroll tax returns (Form 941-X and state equivalents) independently on complex amendments while retaining ownership
• Support payroll correction workflows by:
  • Identifying the source of a payroll error
  • Quantifying tax impact across affected quarters
  • Documenting the correction audit trail
  • Completing the resolution through to end
• Manage a personal WIP queue with discipline by prioritizing cases by SLA date, flagging aging cases before they breach SLA, and maintaining thorough case documentation from first touch to closure
• Perform high-level trend analysis of customer data, system data, and agency correspondence to identify process or system deficiencies
• Contribute to SOP and KB updates by flagging outdated content, suggesting revisions, and documenting solutions to previously unresolved issues
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Corrections, Amendments, Pay & File, and Tax Notice teams; serve as a role model for TP1 staff and seek coaching and development from Staff Payroll Tax Processor and managers

Qualifications

• 2–3+ years of hands-on payroll tax experience with a strong focus on:
  • Notice resolution
  • Amended return preparation
  • Payroll error correction across multiple states (not just general payroll administration)
• Working knowledge of IRS and state agency notice types, including the ability to read a notice, identify its type, understand the agency’s claim, and determine the appropriate resolution path
• Demonstrated experience resolving State and Federal payroll tax notices independently, including:
  • Balance-due notices
  • Penalty assessments
  • SUI rate change notices
  • Deposit mismatch notices
• Comprehensive knowledge of tax payment and filing regulations, including the distinction between employee and employer tax responsibilities across federal and state jurisdictions
• Hands-on experience preparing and approving amended Federal (Form 941-X, W-2c) and State payroll tax returns across all states, including jurisdictions with complex local requirements such as PA, OH, and more
• Deep knowledge of federal payroll tax law, including:
  • FICA
  • FUTA
  • FITW
  • Employment tax deposit schedules
  • Associated penalty and interest structures
• Multi-state payroll tax expertise, including:
  • Reciprocal agreements
  • Resident and nonresident taxation
  • SUI account management
  • Local tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions
• Proficiency with at least one payroll platform and comfort navigating case management systems such as Salesforce
• Excel/Google Sheets skills, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and reconciliation auditing; able to trace a tax discrepancy through a spreadsheet independently
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including professional interaction with state and federal tax agencies and clear, complete documentation of case activity
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, or Finance preferred; equivalent experience accepted
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) required
• CPP preferred for candidates with 4+ years of experience; active pursuit of CPP is viewed favorably, and CPP holders will be evaluated for accelerated development
• Experience at a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment is a significant advantage

Preferred Qualifications

• CPP (for candidates with 4+ years of experience), including active pursuit of CPP being viewed favorably
• Experience in a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base pay range (hourly):
  • California (Bay Area): $36.00 - $49.00
  • Southern California: $36.00 - $49.00
  • Colorado: $27.00 - $36.50
  • District of Columbia: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Hawaii: $28.50 - $38.50
  • Illinois: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Maine: $25.00 - $33.50
  • Maryland: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Massachusetts: $28.50 - $38.50
  • Minnesota: $25.00 - $33.50
  • New Jersey: $28.50 - $38.50
  • New York: $29.50 - $34.47
  • Ohio: $25.00 - $33.50
  • Vermont: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Virginia: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Washington: $28.50 - $38.50
• Eligible for a cash bonus, equity rewards, and benefits in accordance with applicable plans and programs
• Pay offered is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location

Location

United States (Bay Area/California regions and states listed in the compensation section). This is an hourly, non-exempt position.

Work Schedule

• Minimum of 20 hours per week
• Option to flex up to 40 hours per week based on business need
• Eligible for overtime pay