US Payroll and Tax Lead

Overview

This role owns the full US payroll and tax function, including processing, filings, remittances, agency registrations, and year-end reporting across the organization’s US employees and the client employers supported through its payroll platform.

Because there is no existing playbook, the role involves building payroll processes and controls from scratch.

The role also serves as the closest internal user of the payroll platform for US payroll and tax workflows. When issues arise, the lead partners directly with product and engineering to resolve them.

Responsibilities

• Payroll processing

  • Run end-to-end US payroll cycles for the organization’s employee population and for client employers serviced through the payroll platform, including wages, deductions, benefits, and garnishments
  • Own the payroll calendar and ensure accurate, on-time delivery across all pay schedules
  • Handle off-cycle runs and corrections as needed

• Tax filings and compliance

  • Prepare and submit federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and remittances across all 50 states and DC
  • File quarterly and annual returns, including W-2s and 1099s, accurately and on time
  • Complete employer registrations and tax account setup in new states and localities as the organization grows
  • Own the compliance tracker and filing calendar to ensure nothing is missed
  • Manage agency notices and resolve tax discrepancies and audit requests across all active jurisdictions

• Client support (direct payroll customers)

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for complex compliance questions, tax notices, and issues clients cannot resolve independently
  • Help clients reach correct answers quickly

• Process documentation

  • Write SOPs for payroll processing, filings, reconciliations, and year-end work
  • Build audit-ready records and practical controls into day-to-day operations

• Product collaboration

  • Use the payroll platform to identify gaps and communicate where workflows fall short
  • Work with product and engineering to convert compliance requirements into working features

Requirements

• Essential
  • 6+ years of US payroll experience, with direct ownership of multi-state processing and employment tax compliance
  • Proven hands-on experience preparing and submitting payroll tax filings and remittances across a wide range of federal, state, and local jurisdictions
  • Experience completing state and local agency registrations
  • Solid working knowledge of multi-state withholding, unemployment tax, W-2 and 1099 requirements, and quarterly and annual return obligations
  • Experience building processes and controls in environments where workflows were not fully established
  • Strong attention to detail and strong reconciliation habits

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in a payroll services, EOR, or PEO environment, where you were responsible for payroll and tax on behalf of client employers (not only internal employees)
• Familiarity with payroll tax engines such as MasterTax or Symmetry
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation
• Experience handling tax notices and agency inquiries across multiple jurisdictions

Compensation & Benefits

Not specified in the provided job description.

Location

United States (covers payroll tax filings and remittances across all 50 states and DC).