Payroll Services Specialist - Remote

Overview

This role supports Payroll Tax Operations (PTO) as a Senior Payroll Tax Processor, resolving payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. You will operate as a core production contributor with strong technical competence and meaningful independence in a high-volume case workload.

The position is customer-focused and detail-oriented, with ownership from case intake through confirmed closure. You will also serve as a mentor and role model for colleagues while continuing to grow your technical depth.

Responsibilities

• Execute full-cycle payroll tax case work for assigned accounts, including:
  • Processing payroll runs accurately
  • Auditing pre- and post-payroll output
  • Managing tax filings and payments
  • Maintaining 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, and account mismatch notices), owning each case from intake through confirmed closure
• Prepare written agency responses with complete supporting documentation, submitting within agency-required deadlines and confirming 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 the tax impact across affected quarters
  • Documenting the correction audit trail
  • Seeing resolutions through to completion
• Manage a personal WIP queue with discipline by prioritizing cases by SLA date, flagging aging cases before SLA breach, and maintaining thorough 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• Contribute to SOP and KB updates by flagging outdated content, suggesting revisions, and documenting solutions for previously unresolved issues
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Corrections, Amendments, Pay & File, and Tax Notice teams; serve as a role model for TP1 staff and actively seek coaching and development from Staff Payroll Tax Processor and managers

Requirements

• 2–3+ years of hands-on payroll tax experience, focused on notice resolution, amended return preparation, and 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 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, and 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, and associated penalty and interest structures
• Multi-state payroll tax expertise, including reciprocal agreements, resident and nonresident taxation, SUI account management, and 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 required, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and reconciliation auditing; ability to trace a tax discrepancy through a spreadsheet independently
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally with state and federal tax agencies and document case activity clearly and completely
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, or Finance preferred; equivalent experience accepted

Preferred Qualifications

• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) required; CPP preferred for candidates with 4+ years of experience
• Active pursuit of CPP viewed favorably; CPP holders will be evaluated for accelerated development
• Experience at a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base pay range (hourly) by location:
  • 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
• This position is 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

• Remote (virtual) role with flexible scheduling.
• Minimum 20 hours per week; option to flex up to 40 hours per week based on business need.
• Hourly, non-exempt position eligible for overtime pay.