Payroll Tax Specialist, Workday

The Payroll Specialist (Workday) is responsible for the end‑to‑end processing cycle of a national, multi‑state payroll operation with bi‑weekly execution and pay delivery to staff. This role will be heavily focused on payroll tax processing, auditing, and compliance in partnership with our vendor. It involves partnering with various taxing agencies (state unemployment, IRS, state/local tax, etc.) to prevent and respond to agency inquiries and notices.

The specialist resolves tax issues through collaboration with agency, vendor, and internal team, ensuring payroll tax configurations remain current in the HRIS system, Workday, while auditing tax tables, state funded benefit program tax rates, and earnings/deduction codes. This role is part of a Shared Services team and will respond to and resolve user tickets from the field and address themes with training and user education.

• End to end processing cycle of national, multi‑state payroll operation bi‑weekly in HRIS (Workday). Ensure on‑time and compliant delivery of pay to employees.
• Triage incoming tickets in our Shared Services platform, tackling Level 1 issues independently. This includes processing wage verification requests, garnishments, off‑cycle check requests, lock‑in letters, arrears management, and responding to other timekeeping and payroll inquiries. Escalate advanced issues to the HRIS Analyst team or the Senior Payroll Administrator.
• Regularly audit Payroll Tax reconciliation provided by vendor and resolve discrepancies, ensuring tax liability balancing. Process state registrations and set up new jurisdictions in HRIS. Manage issues with taxing authorities to resolve agency notices, letters, and inquiries. Proactively review payroll taxation through audits and reporting, and tools provided by the vendor to ensure taxing compliance. Monitor payroll tax status to ensure self‑insured / reimbursable status for unemployment is maintained.
  
  Process state required security bonds to maintain reimbursable status timely, in partnership with Finance. Research tax regulations and with holdings. Audit and maintain accuracy of tax rates in HRIS.
• Review taxability of pay components (earnings/deductions), including identification of tax authority exceptions by state or local jurisdictions, and partner with HRIS Analyst to implement. Review and maintain codes annually as well as setting up new codes.
• Make continuous improvement suggestions related to user experience and process opportunities. Partner with the community locations and internal partners to improve payroll delivery and services. Identify themes and develop incident reduction strategies, to include training and user education.
• Partner on special employee or company programs that touch payroll services, such as bonus, merit, commissions, benefits, acquisitions, org restructurings, special government reporting (BLS), etc.

• Required Degree:
  High School Diploma
• Preferred Degree:
  Associate’s degree
• Preferred Certificate(s):
  • Payroll related training or certificates preferred, such as CPP
  • Workday Certified in US Payroll or related certificates preferred
• Experience:
  • Minimum 5 years’ payroll experience, including specialized experience with payroll tax and working with taxing authorities.
  • Experience being a partner with 3rd party vendors.
  • Experience with utilizing HRIS and vendor reports for purposes of auditing.
  • Previous experience in HR or a shared service model is preferred.
  • Multi‑state and national experience required.
  • Knowledge of payroll tax laws and requirements in the US (in a multi‑state jurisdiction environment).
  • Must have solid experience with Workday and high proficiency with technology. Must have experience working in a highly automated HRIS system. Workday experience is required.
  • Must have experience working collaboratively with internal partners, such as legal or benefits, on project teams.

• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem solving skills; ability to combine attention to detail with big picture perspective.
• Understanding of cross functional concepts and technical impacts (security, reporting).
• Ability…