Remote Senior Payroll Specialist

Overview

This role is with a team focused on end-to-end resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, and Amendments. You will serve as a senior payroll tax expert and Subject Matter Expert (SME), acting as a technical lead and primary resource for less experienced staff while independently owning the most complex cases in the queue.

This position emphasizes payroll tax defect resolution (fixing tax issues), not payroll processing.

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: 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 back to the originating payroll run
  • Determine tax impact across all affected quarters
  • Drive the complete correction workflow to confirmed resolution
• Maintain high productivity and resolve customer Correction, Amendment, and Notice requests with high accuracy.
• Monitor daily work-in-progress (WIP).
  • Identify aging cases, stuck holds, and Known Issues (KIs)
  • Resolve blockers proactively
  • Escalate systemic issues with root-cause analysis and a recommended resolution path
• Act as a primary real-time resource for Senior Payroll Tax Processors.
  • Answer questions through Slack, Zoom, and side-by-side sessions
  • Teach the resolution process so the team builds capability rather than 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 underperforming or working through a learning gap
• Participate in team huddles, group QA sessions, and process meetings.
• Author, review, and approve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Knowledge Base (KB) articles for core processes.
  • Identify recurring error patterns in QA data and recommend corrective actions
• Identify trends and emerging compliance issues.
  • Communicate findings to leadership 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 focused 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.
  • 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, and local tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Prior lead/senior specialist/SME experience.
  • 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 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.

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base pay range (by location):
  • 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 will be eligible for a cash bonus, equity rewards, and benefits, in accordance with applicable plans and programs.
• Pay offered is based on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location.

Location

US locations listed above (base pay ranges vary by state).