Payroll Tax & Compliance Specialist

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers' lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.

First Energy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, First Energy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

We are seeking an experienced payroll professional to join our team as a Payroll Tax & Compliance Specialist. This role serves as a key subject matter expert responsible for payroll tax compliance, multi-state payroll administration, payroll balancing, quarterly and year-end processing, and regulatory reporting.

The successful candidate will bring strong knowledge of payroll operations, payroll tax regulations, reconciliation processes, and payroll systems. This position requires a highly analytical, detail-oriented individual who can investigate issues, identify solutions, and support compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

• Manage payroll tax activities across multiple states and jurisdictions to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant processing.
• Research, respond to, and resolve payroll tax agency notices, inquiries, and related issues.
• Coordinate unemployment tax reporting and compliance requirements across applicable jurisdictions.
• Maintain jurisdictional tax registrations, account information, and related compliance documentation.
• Process, review, and validate payroll tax amendments, corrections, and adjustments.
• Monitor federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and ensure payroll practices remain compliant.

• Perform payroll balancing and reconciliation activities to ensure payroll results are accurate, complete, and properly supported.
• Review, validate, and process payroll balance adjustments in accordance with established procedures.
• Reconcile payroll system data with financial records to identify discrepancies, investigate variances, and support timely resolution.
• Analyze payroll discrepancies, determine root causes, and recommend corrective actions.
• Review payroll costing reports and investigate variances to support accurate payroll accounting.
• Support payroll accounting processes, including clearing account reconciliations and issue resolution.

• Perform post-payroll processing activities to ensure payroll results are accurate, complete, and properly finalized.
• Review payroll exceptions, investigate issues, and resolve complex payroll discrepancies.
• Manage special tax payments and executive compensation-related payroll requests.
• Support special compensation programs, including short‑term and long‑term incentive payment processing.
• Assist with payroll administration for new hire and internal transfer relocations, including related tax considerations.

• Support quarterly payroll tax filings and compliance reviews to ensure timely and accurate reporting.
• Coordinate year-end payroll activities, including planning, preparation, validation, and issue resolution.
• Ensure accurate processing and reporting of W-2 and 1099 forms in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Conduct year-end audits and reconciliations to identify discrepancies and support timely corrections.
• Prepare, review, and validate payroll records for regulatory reporting and compliance purposes.

• Conduct payroll system testing for upgrades, enhancements, and new…