Payroll Specialist (Contractor)

Overview

A leading technology platform specializing in entity compliance is seeking an experienced Payroll & Multi-State Tax Compliance Specialist for a 6-month independent contract engagement at $50/hr. This role involves full ownership of end-to-end payroll operations, including processing over 30 complex monthly payroll runs for domestic employees, global contractors, commissions, and bonuses. The primary focus is managing multi-state tax compliance, mitigating audit risks, and standardizing payroll processes through comprehensive documentation. This contract position provides critical coverage during an upcoming maternity leave and supports the core People Operations team.

Responsibilities

• Execute all multi-cadence domestic payroll runs, including salaried, hourly, contractors, and commissions.
• Coordinate payroll for global contractors.
• Manage ad-hoc and off-cycle payroll runs such as bonuses, retroactive adjustments, and termination pay in compliance with state timelines.
• Own the setup, maintenance, and closure of state payroll tax accounts; interact directly with state agencies to resolve issues.
• Administer payroll system configurations, workflow automations, and credential management (MFA/TPA access).
• Maintain 401(k) deferrals, benefits, and garnishments in the HRIS; ensure zero-variance reconciliation against carrier invoices each cycle.
• Support payroll onboarding for acquisitions, including historical data imports and retroactive corrections within strict integration timelines.
• Collaborate with People Operations on payroll reporting, people analytics, offer letter variable calculations, and compensation band updates.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive process documentation and runbooks for all payroll types and state tax accounts to ensure operational continuity.

Requirements

• 2–4 years of direct experience managing high-volume, multi-state payroll processing across various employment types.
• Proven experience handling state tax registrations, remittances, filing-frequency rules, and resolving state agency notices.
• Hands-on experience administering 401(k) match processing, complex garnishments, and benefits deduction reconciliations.
• Deep operational knowledge of modern HRIS platforms, including managing configurations and system limits.
• Experience executing year-end payroll processing, W-2 reconciliations, and avoiding amended filings.
• Proficiency with intermediate Excel functions such as VLOOKUPs and pivot tables for auditing large datasets and managing payroll reporting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced, hands-on experience with Rippling payroll configuration and understanding of its TPA and Contractor of Record (COR) models.
• Direct experience managing payroll integrations, historical data migrations, or account setups related to mergers and acquisitions.
• Solid foundational knowledge of FLSA rules, multi-state wage and hour laws, and independent contractor compliance.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation is $50 per hour for the 6-month contract.

Location

• United States (remote work implied, but not explicitly stated).

Additional Information

• Reasonable accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities during the application and interview process upon request.
• The employer is an equal opportunity organization and does not discriminate based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other protected status.
• Automated tools and skills assessments may be used during the recruitment process, but all final hiring decisions are made by human recruiters. Applicants may request accommodations or opt out of automated assessments without penalty.