Payroll Tax Accountant

About Us

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status—including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint. Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S.

We are looking for a highly capable Payroll Tax Accountant to join our best‑in‑class team. In this role, you will be responsible for all tax and tax compliance functions within the Corporate Payroll Department. Do you have a passion for tax and process improvement? Let's talk!

Under the general direction of the Payroll Manager, you will maintain tax tables in the payroll system for all companies at Essential Utilities. Your solution‑led, can‑do approach will be empowered to add value from day one and affect changes that will impact the entire team!

• Responsible for the accuracy of monthly, quarterly, and yearly payroll and related tax filings.
• Provides tax filing support to auditors and coordinates tax audits as needed.
• Investigates and responds to all tax notices from federal, state, and local agencies in a timely manner.
• Research laws and regulations regarding federal, state, and local taxes, taxable events, and payroll withholding procedures in a multi‑state environment.
• Assist in processing and reviewing payroll weekly.
• Ensures state and local taxes are set up appropriately for each associate within the payroll system and in compliance with applicable state and local laws.
• Establishes and maintains controls including relationships with auditors state and federal agencies and third‑party vendors.
• Coordinates quarterly and annual adjustments with team lead and Manager of Payroll and/or payroll vendor including W‑2C year‑end processing.
• Responsible for the payroll funding and the payroll department's accounts payables.
• Responsible for handling all the department's accounting functions, including the reconciliation of all payroll‑related accounts on a monthly and quarterly basis and the preparation of journal entries as required.
• Generates ad‑hoc payroll accounting reports as needed.
• Develops, maintains, and manages detailed project plans, action item registers, and major milestone timelines for all assigned projects.

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Economics, or related field required.
• A Minimum of five (5) years of working knowledge of federal, state, and local tax concepts in a multi‑state environment.
• A Minimum of five (5) years of working knowledge of accounting, spreadsheet, and planning software packages in a payroll environment.
• Familiarity with the ADP payroll system is a plus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• The noise level in the work environment is generally quiet.

• 1. Sedentary physical activity requires reaching, sifting, lifting, finger dexterity, grasping, feeling, repetitive motions, talking, and hearing.
• 2. Visual requirements are for close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• 3. 75% or more time is spent looking directly at a computer.
• 4. Associate is frequently required to stand, walk (or otherwise be mobile).
• 5. Ability to deal with stressful situations as they arise.

Essential Utilities, Inc., is an…