Payroll Analyst or Senior Payroll Analyst

More Than A Career - A Chance To Make A Difference In People's Lives

Build an exciting, rewarding career with us help us make a difference for millions of people every day. Consider joining the Duke Energy team, where you'll find a friendly work environment, opportunities for growth and development, recognition for your work, and competitive pay and benefits.

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 compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting SOX controls, audits, or compliance programs.
• Experience with reporting and analytics tools.
• Utility, energy, or large enterprise payroll experience preferred.

What Sets This Opportunity Apart

• Opportunity to support payroll operations for a Fortune 500 energy company.
• Exposure to complex, multi-state payroll and tax environments.
• Significant partnership with HR, Finance, Tax, and external providers.
• Ability to influence process improvements and modernization efforts.
• Meaningful impact on employee experience and payroll compliance.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees should live within a reasonable commute to Duke Energy location.
• 3 days per week in the office requirement