Payroll Analyst or Senior Payroll Analyst Job Charlotte area,North Carolina USA,Accounting

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The hiring manager may elect to fill this position as a Payroll Analyst or one level higher as a Senior Payroll Analyst, dependent upon the experience of the selected candidate.
Duke Energy is seeking a highly analytical and customer-focused Payroll Analyst to support payroll operations for one of the nation's largest energy companies. This role is responsible for ensuring payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and a positive employee experience.
The Payroll Analyst partners with HR, Finance, Tax, Information Technology, and Duke Energy's payroll service provider to support payroll processes impacting a large and diverse workforce. The position requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, payroll tax expertise, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
The successful candidate will serve as a trusted payroll subject matter expert, helping drive compliance, operational efficiency, and process modernization initiatives.

Key Responsibilities Payroll Operations

Support accurate and timely payroll processing for multiple employee populations and pay cycles.
Review payroll results, investigate variances, and resolve discrepancies.
Analyze payroll transactions to ensure compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.
Provide payroll expertise for pay corrections, special payments, and complex employee scenarios.

Compliance and Controls

Support compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
Assist with year-end payroll activities, including W-2 review, validation, and reporting.
Support SOX controls and payroll compliance reviews through documentation, testing, and audit support.
Research payroll tax issues and provide recommendations for resolution.
Coordinate responses to internal and external audit requests.

Vendor Partnership Management

Collaborate with Duke Energy's payroll vendor and service partners to ensure accurate and timely payroll execution.
Monitor service delivery and assist in resolving escalated payroll issues.
Participate in regular operational reviews and process improvement discussions with vendor partners.

Analytics and Reporting

Prepare and analyze payroll reports for management, finance, and regulatory purposes.
Conduct data analysis to identify trends, exceptions, and opportunities for process improvements.
Utilize Workday and Microsoft Excel to support payroll reporting and decision making.
Develop recommendations based on data-driven insights.

Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, and employee experience.
Participate in system implementations, enhancements, and testing activities.
Assist in documenting payroll procedures and maintaining process documentation.
Support strategic payroll initiatives and cross-functional projects.

Key Skills And Experience

Bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or closely related field.
Experience with payroll processing, payroll compliance requirements, payroll tax or closely related.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Required Qualifications
- Payroll Analyst

Bachelor's degree
In addition to required degree, one (1) or more years related work experience
In lieu of Bachelor's degree(s) AND 1 plus years' related work experience listed above, High School/GED AND five (5) or more years related work experience

Required Qualifications
- Senior Payroll Analyst

Bachelor’s degree
In addition to required degree, three (3) or more years related work experience
In lieu of Bachelor's degree(s) AND three (3) or more years related work experience listed above, High School/GED AND seven (7) or more years related work experience

Preferred Qualifications

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
Experience supporting large multi-state payroll operations.
Experience with Workday Payroll.
Experience working with third-party payroll providers.
Knowledge of payroll tax reporting and…