Payroll Tax Operations and Services Specialist - Remote

Overview

This role involves serving as a Senior Payroll Tax Processor within Payroll Tax Operations (PTO). You will resolve payroll tax issues accurately and on time across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. The position is a core production role requiring strong technical competence, meaningful independence, and ownership across a high-volume case workload.

You will also mentor and model best practices for colleagues while continuing to deepen your technical expertise.

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, and 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, and account mismatch notices), owning 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 for 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, and seeing resolution through completion.
• Manage a personal WIP queue with discipline by prioritizing cases by SLA date, flagging aging cases before SLA breach, and 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• Contribute to SOP and KB updates by flagging outdated content, suggesting revisions, and documenting solutions for previously unresolved issues.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 general payroll administration only).
• Working knowledge of IRS and state agency notice types, including the ability to read a notice, identify the type, understand the agency’s claim, and 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, and deposit mismatch notices.
• Comprehensive knowledge of tax payment and filing regulations, including a solid understanding of 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, 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, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and reconciliation auditing; ability to trace a tax discrepancy through a spreadsheet independently.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including professional interactions with state and federal tax agencies and clear, complete documentation.
• 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 certification (preferred for candidates with 4+ years of experience).
• Prior experience in a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment.

Compensation & Benefits

This position offers an hourly wage with eligibility for a cash bonus, equity rewards, and benefits in accordance with applicable plans and programs.

Expected base pay range by location:

• 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

Pay offered is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location. Regular comparisons are conducted to help drive ongoing fair pay.

Location

Virtual role serving customers year-round.

Schedule

Minimum 20 hours per week, with the option to flex up to 40 hours per week based on business need. This is an hourly, non-exempt position eligible for overtime pay.