Payroll Specialist

Overview

This role is part of Payroll Tax Operations (PTO) and focuses on end-to-end resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, and Amendments. You will act as a technical lead and Subject Matter Expert (SME), spending significant time helping less experienced staff while independently owning the most complex cases in the queue.

This position is primarily about fixing payroll tax problems (not running payroll). Responsibilities include resolving complex State and Federal tax notices, preparing and filing amended returns across multiple states, correcting multi-period payroll tax errors, and transferring knowledge to the team so resolution capability grows over time.

Responsibilities

• Resolve the most complex State and Federal payroll tax notices in the team’s queue, including multi-quarter, multi-state, and penalty assessment scenarios. Own the full case lifecycle from intake and root-cause analysis through agency response, submission, and confirmed closure.
• Prepare and file amended Federal and State payroll tax returns (Form 941-X and state equivalents) across 10+ states end-to-end, including reconciliation to the original return, recomputed liability schedules, W-2c preparation, and SSA reconciliation.
• Diagnose and resolve payroll tax errors spanning multiple pay periods or jurisdictions by tracing discrepancies to the originating payroll run, determining tax impact across all affected quarters, and driving the complete correction workflow to confirmed resolution.
• Maintain high productivity and resolve customer Correction, Amendment, and Notice requests with high accuracy.
• Monitor team WIP daily; identify aging cases, stuck holds, and Known Issues (KIs). Resolve barriers proactively and bring systemic blockers to M1 with root-cause analysis and a recommended resolution path.
• Serve as the primary real-time resource for Senior Payroll Tax Processors by answering questions via Slack, Zoom, and side-by-side sessions, while teaching the resolution process to reduce dependency.
• Conduct structured coaching sessions at least once per quarter with each assigned team member using the SBIC feedback model. Increase frequency for agents who are underperforming or working through a learning gap.
• Participate in team huddles, group QA sessions, and process meetings.
• Author, review, and approve SOPs and Knowledge Base (KB) articles for core processes. Identify recurring error patterns in QA data and recommend corrective action to M1.
• Identify trends and emerging compliance issues. Communicate findings to M1 and relevant stakeholders with a recommended response, and drive implementation of resolutions.
• Support cross-functional collaboration with Corrections, Amendments, Pay & File, and Tax Notice teams to resolve interconnected customer issues end-to-end.

Requirements

• 4+ years of payroll tax experience with a demonstrated focus on tax defect resolution for notice response, amended return preparation, and payroll error correction across multiple states.
• Expert knowledge of State and Federal payroll tax notice types.
• Proven ability to independently draft penalty abatement requests and formal agency response letters with complete supporting documentation.
• 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: 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.
• Prior experience functioning as a lead, senior specialist, or SME, with specific examples of coaching or training junior staff through complex resolution scenarios.
• Deep knowledge of federal and state tax payment and filing regulations across all US jurisdictions.
• Advanced Excel skills for reconciliation and audit trail work.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to keep SOPs and KB articles accurate and actionable for a Tax processor audience without requiring revision.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business preferred; equivalent experience accepted.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) preferred; expected within 18 months of Staff Payroll Tax Processor placement. FPC accepted for candidates with 5+ years of demonstrated tax defect resolution experience. Enrolled Agent (EA) is a strong differentiator.
• Experience at a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax operations environment strongly preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
• Enrolled Agent (EA)
• Experience in a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax operations environment

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation package with strong pay-for-performance rewards

Location

• Not specified in the provided description