Payroll Tax Accountant

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Tax & Compliance Specialist to support payroll tax compliance across the United States and Canada, with a primary focus on U.S. federal, state, and local requirements. In this role, you will be responsible for payroll tax filings and remittances, agency notice resolution, payroll tax reconciliations, compliance monitoring, and alignment of payroll activity with accounting records. You will work closely with Payroll, Finance, HR, Benefits, external payroll providers, and ADP SmartCompliance to maintain accurate and compliant payroll processes.

What You'll Do

• Own payroll tax compliance across U.S. federal, state, and local jurisdictions, as well as applicable Canadian requirements, including withholding, unemployment, taxable benefits, and employer taxes.
• Manage and review payroll tax filings, deposits, remittances, amendments, and statutory reporting, including W-2, T4, RL-1, and quarter-end/year-end requirements.
• Research and resolve tax agency notices, assessments, account discrepancies, and filing issues, partnering with payroll providers and tax agencies as needed.
• Manage payroll tax activities through ADP SmartCompliance, including filings, payments, amendments, agency notices, account setup, and issue resolution.
• Perform monthly payroll and tax reconciliations, ensuring payroll liabilities, tax withholdings, employer taxes, remittances, and related general ledger accounts are accurate and properly supported.
• Investigate and resolve variances between payroll systems, tax filings, remittances, payroll provider reports, and accounting records.
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close, audits, and internal control activities by preparing accurate reconciliations, schedules, and supporting documentation.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes, assess their impact on payroll processes, and update tax setups, procedures, and controls accordingly.
• Conduct payroll tax audits and compliance reviews to identify risks, correct errors, and strengthen controls.
• Partner cross-functionally with Payroll, Finance, HR, Benefits, auditors, and external providers to improve, standardize, and automate payroll tax processes.

What You Bring

• 5+ years of experience in payroll tax, payroll compliance, payroll accounting, or senior payroll roles within a complex, multi-jurisdiction environment.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements.
• Canadian Payroll Tax Experience Required.
• Experience reconciling payroll tax and payroll liability balances to the general ledger and resolving discrepancies.
• Experience with quarter-end and year-end payroll tax processes, including W-2, T4, RL-1, and related statutory reporting.
• Experience responding to payroll tax agency notices and working with external payroll tax providers.
• Hands-on Experience With ADP SmartCompliance Strongly Preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, data analysis, and reconciliation of large data sets.
• Experience with payroll, tax, and ERP systems such as ADP, Dayforce, Workday, UKG, SAP, Oracle, or JD Edwards.
• Strong analytical, organizational, documentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across Payroll, Finance, HR, Benefits, audit teams, and external partners.
• Professional Certifications: CPA or CPA candidate preferred. PCP/PLP, CPP, FPC, or other payroll certification is an asset.
• Equivalent combinations of payroll tax, accounting, and reconciliation experience will be considered.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in one or more of the following is a plus: Manufacturing, construction products, logistics, transportation, or other multi-site operating environments.
• Union and non-union payrolls.
• Multi-entity and cross-border payroll structures.
• Payroll tax control improvements, accounting reconciliations, and audit documentation.
• Managing outsourced payroll tax compliance services, particularly ADP SmartCompliance, including issue resolution, service follow-up, and tax account maintenance.