Sr. Payroll Tax Analyst

Senior Payroll Tax Analyst

As a Senior Payroll Tax Analyst, you will serve as a subject matter expert in payroll tax compliance, partnering across Payroll, HRIS, and Finance to ensure accurate tax setup, reporting, and filings.

• Own end‑to‑end payroll tax compliance, including jurisdiction setup, taxability determination, and regulatory adherence across all Inspire entities.
• Identify and implement corrective actions to minimize risk, including validation of tax jurisdiction setup at both company and employee levels.
• Ensure accurate employee and company tax setup across all federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
• Collaborate with third‑party vendors to ensure payroll tax deposits are accurate, complete, and timely to agencies.
• Validate payroll tax calculations and ensure alignment across Workday HRIS and TPA applications, confirming correct rates are applied.
• Manage submission of the tax interface file to the TPA (periodic, monthly, quarterly, and annual) and reconcile/validate against Payroll and General Ledger.
• Lead the annual W‑2 audit and validation process, including processing all W‑2c corrections as needed.
• Complete Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting as required.
• Maintain and audit tax configurations within Workday, including tax rates, jurisdiction codes, and location maintenance.
• Verify and apply tax updates and changes within Workday prior to final production of paychecks.
• Reconcile payroll tax data to General Ledger and financial reporting requirements, including journal entries for cash and tax liability accounts.
• Manage all agency notices, inquiries, and audits in coordination with the TPA.
• Complete business applications and registrations for new jurisdictions as required.
• Serve as a key liaison between Payroll, Finance, and external partners on all tax‑related matters.
• Partner with other departments to ensure all payroll wage and tax financial reporting is provided in a timely manner to support filing and reporting requirements.
• Produce and analyze payroll tax reports to support compliance and audit readiness.
• Lead standardized processes, documentation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Create ad‑hoc reports for research projects and special initiatives.
• Act as an escalation point and subject matter expert for payroll tax matters across the organization.
• Support training and development of payroll team members and new hires.
• Coordinate team‑building activities and knowledge‑sharing sessions.
• Drive a high standard of accuracy, customer service, and confidentiality.
• Complete ad‑hoc projects and other duties as assigned by payroll leadership.

• High school diploma required; undergraduate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of payroll experience with a strong payroll tax focus required.
• Experience with Workday or comparable HRIS required; experience with ADP Smart Compliance or equivalent TPA preferred.
• Advanced understanding of multi‑state payroll tax regulations.
• Strong analytical, reconciliation, and problem‑solving skills.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables) skills.
• Strong organizational skills with great attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment and meet critical deadlines.
• Ability to work in a highly structured team environment.
• Maintain strict adherence to outlined procedures and confidentiality.

• Advanced understanding of multi‑state payroll tax regulations.
• Strong analytical, reconciliation, and problem‑solving skills.
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables).
• Strong organizational skills with great attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment and meet critical deadlines.
• Ability to work in a highly structured team environment.
• Maintain strict adherence to outlined procedures and confidentiality.

Inspire is a multi‑brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 locations worldwide. The organization operates iconic restaurant brands such as Arby’s, Baskin‑Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC. The company is committed to providing flavorful experiences and fostering growth opportunities for its employees.