We are looking for an experienced Payroll Specialist to support a focused payroll tax compliance initiative for a Long-term Contract assignment based in New York, New York. In this role, you will partner closely with payroll leadership to investigate tax discrepancies, address agency notices, and strengthen payroll tax processes across a multi-entity environment. This opportunity is ideal for a candidate who brings strong analytical skills, hands-on tax reconciliation experience, and a proactive approach to reducing future compliance exposure.
Responsibilities:
- Investigate and bring closure to payroll tax notices issued by federal, state, and local agencies.
- Compare tax filings, remittances, and agency account balances to identify and correct discrepancies.
- Analyze recurring compliance problems to determine underlying causes and recommend lasting solutions.
- Communicate with tax authorities and external payroll partners to clarify issues and drive timely resolution.
- Review quarterly and annual payroll tax forms, including Form 941, Form W-2, and applicable state and local filings, to confirm accuracy and completeness.
- Create practical control recommendations and updated procedures designed to lower the risk of penalties and future agency inquiries.
- Prepare clear reconciliation summaries, issue tracking updates, and documentation outlining corrective actions and process improvements.
- Support on-site collaboration with the headquarters team at least three days per week.
- Contribute to the development of a forward-looking payroll tax compliance framework for the organization and its subsidiaries.
- At least 5 years of experience in payroll tax compliance, including multi-state payroll environments.
- Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax rules, filings, and payment requirements.
- Demonstrated success handling payroll tax notice resolution and corresponding directly with tax agencies.
- Experience using payroll platforms such as Dayforce, Workday, ADP Workforce Now, or comparable systems.
- Solid background in full-cycle payroll administration, including processing for employee populations of 500 or more.
- Advanced reconciliation, problem-solving, and analytical capabilities with strong attention to detail.
- Ability to document findings clearly and recommend process improvements based on compliance review results.
- Payroll or related certification is a plus.