Payroll Tax Operations and Services Specialist - Remote

Overview

This role supports Payroll Tax Operations as a payroll tax professional responsible for accurate, timely resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. The Senior Payroll Tax Processor is a core production contributor, providing technical expertise and meaningful independence while handling a high-volume case workload. The position is well-suited for a detail-oriented, customer-focused payroll tax expert with hands-on experience resolving tax notices, correcting payroll errors, and preparing amended returns, with the ability to mentor and model best practices for colleagues.

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
  • 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 while retaining ownership
• Support payroll correction workflows by:
  • Identifying the source of a payroll error
  • Quantifying tax impact across affected quarters
  • Documenting the correction audit trail
  • Seeing the resolution through to completion
• Manage a personal WIP queue with discipline by:
  • Prioritizing cases by SLA date
  • Flagging aging cases before they breach SLA
  • Maintaining 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 by:
  • Flagging outdated content
  • Suggesting revisions
  • Documenting 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 and actively 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 only general payroll administration)
• Working knowledge of IRS and state agency notice types, including the ability to:
  • Read a notice
  • Identify the notice 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 and OH
• 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
  • Reconciliation auditing
  • Ability to trace a tax discrepancy through a spreadsheet independently
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including professionalism when interacting with state and federal tax agencies and documenting 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

Preferred Qualifications

• CPP (preferred; active pursuit viewed favorably)
• Experience in a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment

Compensation & Benefits

This role is eligible for overtime pay. The expected base pay range for this position is:

• 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 may be 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

United States (pay ranges vary by state as listed above).

Work Schedule

Minimum 20 hours per week, with the option to flex up to 40 hours per week based on business need.