Sr. Payroll Tax Analyst

Senior Payroll Tax AnalystAs a Senior Payroll Tax Analyst, you will serve as a subject matter expert in payroll tax compliance, partnering across Payroll, HRIS, and Finance to ensure accurate tax setup, reporting, and filings. You will be responsible for end-to-end payroll tax compliance, including Workday system calculations, employee tax jurisdiction maintenance, location maintenance, weekly audits, financial reporting, tax deposits and filings, and business registration by entity. This senior-level role is responsible for mitigating risk through proactive audits, system validation, and management of vendor and agency relationships.Successful candidates are passionate and enthusiastic about helping others, eager to learn new skills, and are detail oriented. They enjoy problem solving in a fast-paced environment based in our Atlanta Support Center.ResponsibilitiesPayroll Tax Compliance & Risk ManagementOwn end-to-end payroll tax compliance, including jurisdiction setup, taxability determination, and regulatory adherence across all Inspire entitiesIdentify and implement corrective actions to minimize risk, including validation of tax jurisdiction setup at both company and employee levelEnsure accurate employee and company tax setup across all federal, state, and local jurisdictionsTax Operations & FilingsCollaborate with third-party vendors to ensure payroll tax deposits are accurate, complete, and timely to agenciesValidate payroll tax calculations and ensure alignment across Workday HRIS and TPA applications, confirming correct rates are applied on all calculationsManage submission of the tax interface file to TPA (periodic, monthly, quarterly, and annual) and reconciliation/validation to Payroll and General LedgerLead annual W-2 audit and validation process, including processing all W-2c corrections as neededComplete Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting as requiredSystems & Data IntegrityMaintain and audit tax configurations within Workday, including tax rates, jurisdiction codes, and location maintenanceVerify and apply tax updates and changes within Workday prior to final production of paychecksReconcile payroll tax data to General Ledger and financial reporting requirements, including journal entries for cash and tax liability accountsAgency & Vendor ManagementManage all agency notices, inquiries, and audits in coordination with the TPAComplete business applications and registrations for new jurisdictions as requiredAct as key liaison between Payroll, Finance, and external partners on all tax-related mattersAnalytics, Reporting & Process ImprovementPartner with other departments to ensure all payroll wage and tax financial reporting is provided in a timely manner in support of filing and reporting requirementsProduce and analyze payroll tax reports to support compliance and audit readinessLead standardized processes, documentation, and continuous improvement initiativesCreate ad hoc reports as requested for research projects and special initiativesLeadership & SupportServe as escalation point and subject matter expert for payroll tax matters across the organizationSupport training and development of payroll team members and new hiresCoordinate team-building activities and knowledge-sharing sessionsDrive a high standard of accuracy, customer service, and confidentialityComplete ad hoc projects and other duties as assigned by payroll leadershipEducation and Experience QualificationsHigh school diploma required; undergraduate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred5+ years of payroll experience with a strong payroll tax focus requiredExperience with Workday or comparable HRIS required; experience with ADP SmartCompliance or equivalent TPA preferredKnowledge, Skills & AbilitiesAdvanced understanding of multi-state payroll tax regulationsStrong analytical, reconciliation, and problem-solving skillsIntermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, PivotTables)Strong organizational skills with great attention to detailExcellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skillsAbility to work in a fast-paced environment and meet critical deadlinesAbility to work in a highly structured team environmentMaintain strict adherence to outlined procedures and confidentialityInspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and SONIC restaurants worldwide. We're made up of some of the world's most iconic restaurant brands, but we're much more than just a restaurant company. We're a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple—it's an experience. At Inspire, that's our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences.