Senior Payroll & Reporting Specialist

Overview

This is a remote position with reporting to the Senior Manager, Payroll. To be eligible for hire, candidates must reside in a state where the organization is registered to do business as an employer. Eligible states currently include:

AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV.

Travel expectations

• Minimal travel; determined by business needs and may include occasional trips for key meetings, collaboration opportunities, or area-connected events.

Physical requirements/demands

• Primarily sedentary, home-based role requiring the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working at a computer.
• Regular use of standard office equipment (computer, keyboard, mouse, telephone).
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of the position.

Application period

• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and will continue until the position is filled.

Responsibilities

• Execute bi-weekly multi-state, multi-entity payroll runs end-to-end—including on-cycle, off-cycle, severance, bonuses, and commission payouts—within established controls.
• Audit and reconcile payroll-impacting changes (new hires, terminations, compensation updates, garnishments) against source systems to ensure data integrity.
• Perform independent reasonableness checks and source-data verifications for final wage and leave payout calculations prior to payment release.
• Build, run, and analyze recurring pay registers, deduction audits, tax withholding checks, and retro/adjustment reports using Workday and advanced Excel.
• Lead assigned payroll system/process projects, workflow configurations, and Workday testing, providing substantiated rationale for technical updates.
• Research and resolve complex payroll tickets independently; escalate unresolved risks to the Senior Manager with documented context and recommended solutions.
• Triage agency tax notices, resolve routine matters independently, and support quarterly tax account reviews under Senior Manager direction.
• Maintain, document, and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), audit evidence, and verification logs for non-routine payroll transactions.

How success will be measured

• 100% timely and accurate execution of bi-weekly multi-state payroll runs and reconciliation deliverables.
• Rigor and quality of independent verification applied to non-routine calculations to prevent downstream errors or audit gaps.
• Timely completion, testing accuracy, and adoption of assigned Workday system projects and process improvement initiatives.
• Effective risk management, proactive capacity flagging, and high-quality escalation packages (research + proposed solution) provided to leadership.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of progressive payroll experience processing complex, multi-state payrolls (multi-entity experience preferred).
• Proven experience independently running end-to-end bi-weekly payroll processing, off-cycle adjustments, severance, and commission calculations.
• Advanced Excel capabilities, including pivot tables, lookups, SUMIFS, large dataset handling, and reconciliation template building.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Workday Payroll and reporting tools, including hands-on experience with system testing and release validation.
• Strong analytical and mathematical skills, including payroll balancing, variance analysis, and month-end reconciliations.
• Deep functional knowledge of payroll compliance, tax treatments, and agency notice triage.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment on non-routine payments, verifying source data before finalizing transactions.

Preferred qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent certification.
• Hands-on experience with payroll tax registrations and agency notice administration.

Who this role isn’t for

This role may not be a good fit if you:

• Rely on step-by-step documentation for every scenario; the work requires applying sound reasoning and verification to novel, non-standard payroll situations.
• Escalate open-ended questions without bringing researched background, sources, and a recommended solution.
• Need a high-volume, multi-layered department with extensive backup; the payroll function is lean and requires end-to-end ownership and proactive capacity risk management.
• Are uncomfortable with direct cross-functional collaboration or presenting substantiated technical/business logic to Finance, HRIS, and vendor partners.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay range

• Salaried, exempt: $70,000–$93,000.
• Placement within the range is determined by factors including knowledge, skills, years and depth of experience, and equity with internal team members.

Benefits and perks

• Generous paid time off with flexible paid time off policies and major paid holidays.
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage at a low cost through a PPO or HDHP plan.
• Virtual medical consultations through MDLIVE and mental health services through some preferred partners.
• Family-friendly benefits, including up to 14 weeks of fully paid parental leave for birthing parents (6 weeks STD + 8 weeks parental leave) and 8 weeks of fully paid parental leave for non-birthing parents, adoption assistance, pet insurance, caregiver leave, and fertility benefits.
• 401(k) plan with company matching, employer HSA contributions for eligible plans, Life & AD&D insurance, flexible spending account options, and financial wellness resources.
• Professional development support, including training programs, certifications, and tuition assistance.

Additional information

• Offers of employment are contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a criminal background check.
• Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities during the application and selection process.
• The organization participates in E-Verify in certain locations as required by law.

AI tools policy (during the interview process)

• AI tools may be used for assessment or take-home exercises as long as the work submitted represents your own understanding and abilities.
• AI tools may not be used during live interviews to generate, draft, suggest, or influence your responses. All interview answers must be your own original work.
• If you require assistive technology as a disability accommodation, notify the organization in advance so appropriate, legally compliant accommodations can be considered.