Payroll Accountant/Payroll Specialist

About the role

The Payroll Accountant is responsible for administering and processing accurate, timely payroll while ensuring full compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role plays a critical part in maintaining payroll integrity, managing statutory requirements, and serving as a subject-matter expert for payroll-related inquiries.

Responsibilities

• Process multi-state payroll accurately and on schedule, ensuring timely and correct payment of salaries, hourly wages, bonuses, and other forms of compensation.
• Maintain complete and up-to-date employee payroll records, including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, benefits deductions, and garnishments.
• Support off-cycle payrolls and routine payroll adjustments, ensuring proper documentation and compliance with internal policies and regulations.
• Reconcile payroll registers and payroll-related reports, investigating and resolving discrepancies to maintain data integrity and accurate financial reporting.
• Partner with Finance and Accounting teams to support payroll accruals, reconciliations, audits, and month-end close activities.
• Serve as the system owner for Rippling, ensuring data integrity while developing payroll procedures, implementing process improvements, and supporting payroll-related system projects.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations, staying current on changes that impact payroll processes and policies.
• Manage state withholding registrations, updates, and ongoing compliance for new and existing states, coordinating with internal stakeholders and external agencies as needed.
• Administer state unemployment insurance (SUI) registrations, filings, rate notices, and audits, ensuring accurate reporting and timely responses.
• Cooky with payroll vendors and tax agencies to resolve issues, support filings, and maintain compliant and efficient payroll operations.
• Own workers’ compensation programs across all applicable states, including registrations, policy administration, renewals, and audits.
• Ensure accurate employee classification, wage reporting, and compliance with state-specific workers’ compensation requirements.
• Prepare, review, and submit workers’ compensation reports and audit materials in accordance with regulatory and carrier requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for workers’ compensation carriers, brokers, and internal stakeholders, facilitating communication and issue resolution.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including direct ownership of multi-state payroll operations.
• Strong hands-on experience with payroll processing and payroll accounting, including reconciliations and journal entries.
• Advanced knowledge of payroll laws, wage and hour regulations, and tax compliance at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Demonstrated experience managing workers’ compensation programs, including registrations, policy administration, renewals, and audits across multiple states.
• Proven experience managing state withholding and unemployment registrations and ensuring ongoing compliance.
• Proficiency with payroll software and systems, including experience with Rippling and workday payroll or similar platforms.
• Solid understanding of payroll benefits and deductions, including benefits administration and payroll-related tax implications.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including use of pivot tables and advanced formulas for analysis and reconciliation.
• Experience with general ledger integration and payroll-related journal entries to support month-end close.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy when handling payroll data and financial information.
• Sound judgment and the ability to handle highly confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience supporting month-end close activities and payroll accruals in partnership with Finance and Accounting.
• Background in benefits administration and understanding of how benefits impact payroll calculations and reporting.
• Experience working with payroll vendors and tax agencies to support filings, resolve issues, and maintain compliance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate discrepancies and implement process improvements.
• Ability to serve as a subject-matter expert for payroll-related inquiries and provide clear, concise guidance to stakeholders.
• Comfort working with multiple systems and tools related to payroll, accounting, and HR data.