Senior Payroll Tax Analyst

Highmark Health

* This role will be hybrid if you live within a 50 mile radius of one of our offices in PA, DE, WV, or NY.

The Senior Payroll Tax Analyst serves as the subject matter expert for payroll tax compliance across all jurisdictions, ensuring accurate and timely filings while minimizing financial risk. This role manages end-to-end payroll tax activities, including filings, issue resolution, and coordination with third‑party partners.

Working with the payroll team, the analyst supports tax‑related aspects of payroll processing, including year‑end reporting and W‑2 preparation, while resolving complex tax issues and ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.

• Lead and perform peer review of federal, state, and local payroll tax filings, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
• Manage quarterly and year‑end tax filings, including W‑2 preparation, W‑2c corrections, and filing amendments
• Ensure compliance with all payroll tax regulations and reporting requirements across jurisdictions
• Research and resolve tax agency notices, discrepancies, and historical payroll tax issues
• Support and manage responses to tax audits and compliance reviews
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to penalties, interest, and non‑compliance
• Support payroll processing by managing tax‑related components for standard and off‑cycle payroll runs
• Analyze and resolve complex payroll tax scenarios (e.g., multi‑state taxation, regulatory changes)
• Ensure accurate setup and maintenance of payroll tax data within systems
• Coordinate registration and setup for new tax jurisdictions and maintain ongoing compliance requirements
• Manage unemployment tax rates and jurisdictional account updates
• Oversee and maintain payroll tax accounts with federal, state, and local agencies
• Manage relationships with third‑party payroll tax vendors, ensuring service accuracy and timeliness
• Partner with internal stakeholders (e.g., Payroll, Benefits, Compensation) to support tax compliance
• Respond to tax‑related inquiries from employees, leadership, and external partners
• Prepare and analyze payroll tax reporting and compliance metrics
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, controls, and efficiency within payroll tax operations
• Support special projects and initiatives related to payroll tax and compliance
• Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• None

• 5–7 years of payroll experience
• 5+ years focused specifically on payroll tax

• None

• None

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

• Workday and Tax Configuration
• Advanced Microsoft Excel (data analysis, auditing, reconciliation)
• Strong Communication Skills
• Data Analysis and Problem Solving
• Third-Party Vendor Management

• None

• 0% - 25%

• Office-Based

• Yes

The job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this job title. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

This position adheres to the ethical and legal standards and behavioral expectations as set forth in the code of business conduct and company policies. As a component of job responsibilities, employees may have access to covered information, cardholder data, or other confidential customer information that must be protected at all times. In connection with this, all employees must comply with both the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as described in the Notice of Privacy Practices and Privacy Policies and Procedures as well as all data security guidelines established within the Company’s Handbook of Privacy Policies and Practices and Information Security Policy.

Furthermore, it is every employee’s responsibility to…