Senior Payroll Services Specialist - Remote

Overview

This role supports Payroll Tax Operations (PTO) as a Senior Payroll Tax Expert and Subject Matter Expert (SME). The team is responsible for end-to-end resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, and Amendments.

In this position, you will serve as a technical lead and catalyst for the team—spending significant time helping less experienced staff while independently owning the most complex cases in the queue.

This role is primarily focused on fixing payroll tax problems (not running payroll). Responsibilities include resolving complex State and Federal tax notices, preparing and filing amended returns across multiple states, correcting multi-period payroll tax errors, and ensuring knowledge transfer so the team can resolve similar issues independently.

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 from 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 across multiple pay periods or jurisdictions by:
  • Tracing discrepancies to the originating payroll run
  • Determining tax impact across all affected quarters
  • Driving the complete correction workflow to confirmed resolution
• Maintain high productivity case resolution with high accuracy on customer Correction, Amendment, and Notice resolution requests.
• Monitor team WIP daily; identify aging cases, stuck holds, and Known Issues (KIs).
  • Resolve barriers proactively and bring systemic blockers to M1 with root-cause analysis and a recommended resolution path.
• Act as the primary real-time resource for Senior Payroll Tax Processors by answering questions via Slack, Zoom, and side-by-side sessions.
  • Teach the resolution process to build team 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 who are underperforming or working through a learning gap.
• Participate in team huddles, group QA sessions, and process meetings.
• Author, review, and approve SOPs and Knowledge Base (KB) articles for core processes.
  • Identify recurring error patterns in QA data and submit corrective action recommendations to M1.
• Identify trends and emerging compliance issues, communicate findings to M1 and relevant stakeholders with a recommended response, and 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 with a demonstrated focus 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: 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.
• Prior experience functioning as a lead, senior specialist, or SME.
  • Provide specific 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, written 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

• Competitive compensation package with pay for performance rewards.
• Expected base pay range by work 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 job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location.

Location

This role is eligible for flexible hours and schedules and is a minimum of 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 and is eligible for overtime pay.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
• Enrolled Agent (EA)
• Experience in a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax operations environment