Payroll Tax Operations and Services Senior Specialist - SelectTime

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 serve as a technical lead and Subject Matter Expert (SME), spending significant time helping less experienced team members while independently owning the most complex cases in the queue.

This position is primarily focused on fixing payroll tax problems (tax defect resolution), not running payroll.

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
  • SSA reconciliation
• Diagnose and resolve payroll tax errors spanning multiple pay periods or jurisdictions.
  • Trace discrepancies to the originating payroll run
  • Determine tax impact across all affected quarters
  • Drive the complete correction workflow to confirmed resolution
• Maintain high productivity case resolution for 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 a primary real-time resource for Senior Payroll Tax Processors.
  • Answer questions via Slack, Zoom, and side-by-side sessions
  • Teach the resolution process so the team builds capability, not dependency
• Conduct structured coaching sessions at least once per quarter with each assigned team member using the SBIC feedback model.
  • Increase coaching frequency for agents who are underperforming or working through a learning gap
• Contribute to 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 bring corrective action recommendations to M1
• Identify trends and emerging compliance issues.
  • Communicate findings to M1 and relevant stakeholders with a recommended response
  • 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.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of payroll tax experience with demonstrated focus on tax defect resolution, including:
  • Notice response
  • Amended return preparation
  • 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 and OH.
• 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
• Prior experience functioning as a lead, senior specialist, or SME.
  • Ability to provide 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.
  • SOPs and KB articles must be accurate, actionable, and written 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

• CPP
• Enrolled Agent (EA)
• Experience in multi-client payroll tax operations environments

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base pay range (hourly):
  • California (Bay Area): $40.50 - $54.50
  • Southern California: $40.50 - $54.50
  • Colorado: $32.00 - $43.50
  • District of Columbia: $32.00 - $43.50
  • Hawaii: $33.50 - $45.50
  • Illinois: $32.00 - $43.50
  • Maine: $29.00 - $39.50
  • Maryland: $32.00 - $43.50
  • Massachusetts: $33.50 - $45.50
  • Minnesota: $29.00 - $39.50
  • New Jersey: $33.50 - $45.50
  • New York: $40.50 - $54.50
  • Ohio: $29.00 - $39.50
  • Vermont: $32.00 - $43.50
  • Virginia: $32.00 - $43.50
  • Washington: $33.50 - $45.50
• This position may be eligible for a cash bonus and equity rewards, and benefits in accordance with applicable plans.
• Pay offered is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location.

Location

• California (Bay Area)
• Southern California
• Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington

Schedule

• Minimum of 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