Payroll Tax Operations and Services Specialist - Remote

Overview

This role supports Payroll Tax Operations (PTO) as a Senior Payroll Tax Processor, handling accurate and timely resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. The position is a core production role on a high-volume case workload, requiring strong technical competence and meaningful independence.

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, and 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, retaining ownership
• Support payroll correction workflows:
  • Identify the source of a payroll error
  • Quantify tax impact across affected quarters
  • Document the correction audit trail
  • See the resolution through to completion
• Manage personal WIP queue with discipline:
  • Prioritize cases by SLA date
  • Flag aging cases before they breach SLA
  • Maintain 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:
  • Flag outdated content
  • Suggest revisions
  • Document 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
  • 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, and payroll error correction across multiple states (not just general payroll administration)
• Working knowledge of IRS and state agency notice types, including ability to:
  • Read a notice
  • Identify the type
  • Understand the agency’s claim
  • 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: 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 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
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) required
  • CPP preferred for candidates with 4+ years of experience
  • Active pursuit of CPP is viewed favorably
  • 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

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base pay range for this position:
  • 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

This role supports virtual expert services and is available in the following locations, with pay ranges listed above:

• 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 role; eligible for overtime pay