Senior Payroll Analyst

About the role

The Senior Payroll Analyst serves as a subject matter expert for payroll operations, systems, tax compliance, and process improvements. This role provides operational support to the Payroll Manager while leading complex payroll initiatives, including system implementations, upgrades, tax compliance, reconciliations, audits, and year-end processing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the payroll systems subject matter expert, leading and supporting payroll system implementations, upgrades, tax updates, patches, conversions, and enhancements across platforms such as Oracle Cloud, Ceridian Dayforce, Splash BI, and other payroll technologies.
• Act as the primary point of contact for payroll tax matters, including agency notices, tax account registrations, state and local tax IDs, State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) accounts, and tax compliance inquiries.
• Maintain payroll tax configurations, including unemployment insurance wage limits, tax rates, workers' compensation job codes, and related payroll system updates.
• Manage W-2 corrections, quarterly Form 941 amendments, payroll tax reconciliations, and payroll tax code mapping to minimize processing errors and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Perform and oversee bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end payroll reconciliations, tax filings, and reporting requirements.
• Monitor federal, state, and local payroll legislation and regulatory changes, ensuring timely implementation of compliance updates while identifying opportunities for continuous process improvement.
• Lead the annual payroll year-end process, including planning, execution, reconciliation, testing, and completion of all year-end deliverables.
• Complete salary reclassification requests and prepare journal voucher templates for Accounting as needed.
• Reconcile payroll general ledger accounts, bank statements, and payroll-related financial transactions while researching and resolving variances.
• Provide payroll reporting and financial data to Accounting and business partners, including support for Form 990 reporting and other organizational reporting requirements.
• Maintain payroll documentation, desktop procedures, policies, and internal process documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Manage and maintain payroll-related content on the company intranet and employee portal.
• Serve as the payroll lead for internal and external audits, including MAR, union, workers' compensation, retirement plan, and other regulatory or financial audits.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, IT, and external vendors to resolve complex payroll issues and support cross-functional initiatives.
• Provide backup support to the Payroll Manager and perform additional payroll responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 6 or more years of progressive payroll experience supporting complex, multi-state payroll operations.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and payroll compliance requirements.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, IF statements, and complex formulas.
• Experience with payroll accounting processes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, month-end close activities, and general ledger reconciliation.
• Experience working with Oracle Cloud, Ceridian Dayforce, or similar enterprise payroll systems.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to collaborate across departments.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to handle highly confidential employee and payroll information with discretion and professionalism.

Preferred

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification.
• Experience supporting California and Pennsylvania payroll tax compliance.
• Experience participating in payroll system implementations, conversions, or major upgrades.
• Knowledge of business intelligence and reporting tools such as Splash BI.