Senior Payroll and Tax Analyst

Job Title: Senior Payroll and Tax Analyst

Location: New York, NY 10019

Salary/Payrate: $110K to $130K

Work Environment: Hybrid (#1 of days WFH) / Remote

Term: Fulltime


Bachelor's degree required: No


Referral Fee: AMS will pay $500 should the person you refer gets hired

Job Description:

Our client, an international, AmLaw 100 firm, is looking to hire a Senior Payroll and Tax Analyst at their offices in New York City. The position will allow for a hybrid work schedule with 4 days a week onsite, 1 remote, and will pay an annual base salary of $110K to $130K plus a performance-based bonus and comprehensive benefits package.

The Senior Payroll and Tax Analyst plays a key role in the accurate, timely processing of our client's semi-monthly payroll. The Analyst enters and reviews payroll, with a focus on new hire and departure calculations, benefit deductions, and other adjustments. Working with HR, Benefits, and Accounting, the Analyst validates payroll data, prepares benefits reconciliations, and supports the proper recording of payroll transactions. The Analyst also brings strong knowledge of multi-state payroll taxation and collaborates with the Tax team on compliance, reporting, and analysis.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and audit new hire and departure calculations for accuracy, and communicate and resolve discrepancies promptly.
• Partner with Legal personnel and the Benefits department to reconcile and validate deductions for programs such as TransitChek, WageWorks, and health club memberships.
• Reconcile 401(k) deductions quarterly to ensure no employee exceeds the annual contribution limit.
• Process off-cycle payments and retroactive corrections.
• Administer wage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other court-ordered withholdings.
• Support internal and external audits, including NYS audit, 401(k) plan audits, by providing payroll documentation, reconciliations, and responses to auditor inquiries.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax and wage-hour regulations.
• Manage multi-state payroll tax withholding and registrations, including employees who live in one state and work in another, remote and hybrid workers, and state reciprocity agreements.
• Monitor employee work locations and address changes to confirm the correct state and local taxes are withheld, and correct any misapplied withholding.
• Reconcile quarterly tax filings (such as Form 941 and state and local returns) to payroll records.
• Respond to payroll tax notices and agency inquiries, and coordinate with the Tax team on resolution.
• Assist with quarterly payroll processing and related ADP uploads.
• Provide reconciliations and supporting documentation to the Accounting team to ensure payroll journal entries are complete and properly recorded in the general ledger.
• Respond promptly to employee payroll inquiries and ensure errors are corrected in a timely manner.
• Identify and implement process improvements and automation opportunities.
• Create and run recurring and ad hoc reports in ADP and Excel to support reconciliations, audits, management reporting, and requests from Accounting, Tax, and HR.
• Assist with year-end payroll processing and W-2 preparation for domestic and expatriate payrolls, including reconciling year-end payroll registers, tax liabilities, and Form 941 and state and local filings to the general ledger, and resolving variances before W-2 finalization.

Qualifications

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Solid background in payroll processes and payroll taxation
• Extensive experience with ADP Enterprise, including ADP reporting tools
• Excellent organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Education and Experience

• 8+ years of experience in a payroll or accounting department, preferably within a professional services environment
• Bachelor's degree preferred