Payroll Compliance Specialist

About Us

We are a multifaceted CPA firm with 16 offices across the Pacific Northwest providing financial and tax planning to our business and personal clients by offering payroll, bookkeeping, auditing, and tax services. We have partnered with wealth advisors and estate attorneys to create Coordinated Financial Care service for our clients.

The Job

We are seeking a highly detail-oriented and experienced Payroll Compliance & Amendments Specialist to join our team on a part-time basis. This role is dedicated to managing specialized, high-priority payroll projects, with a primary focus on resolving federal and state tax notices, processing W‑2 amendments, and preparing amended quarterly reports.

The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in multi‑state payroll regulations, agency correspondence, and historical payroll corrections. This position offers a flexible, part‑time schedule well‑suited for a seasoned professional who thrives on investigative work and data reconciliation.

What do we need you to do?

Agency Notice Resolution & Compliance

• Investigate and Resolve Notices: Research, analyze, and resolve complex IRS and state agency tax notices (e.g., withholding discrepancies, unemployment rate adjustments, penalty assessments).
• Agency Correspondence: Act as the primary point of contact with tax authorities, drafting formal response letters and compiling required documentation to dispute or settle notices.
• Root Cause Analysis: Identify the underlying payroll or system errors that triggered agency notices and recommend process improvements to prevent future occurrences.

Payroll Amendments & Historical Adjustments

• Amended Returns: Prepare and file federal and state amended quarterly and annual payroll tax returns (e.g., 941‑X, 940‑X, and state‑specific equivalents).
• W‑2 Corrections: Process and issue Form W‑2c (Corrected Wage and Tax Statements) and W‑3c summaries, ensuring accurate electronic filing with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
• Wage Reconciliations: Perform comprehensive historical payroll audits to calculate retroactive adjustments, pre‑tax/post‑tax corrections, and taxable fringe benefit updates.

Special Projects & Systems Support

• Data Cleanup: Assist with targeted payroll system audits, verifying employer identification numbers (EINs), state business identification numbers (BINs), and local tax accounts.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner with payroll managers and account teams to ensure historical adjustments are accurately reflected in the core payroll ledger and client accounts.

Qualifications for this position

• Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of dedicated payroll experience, with a proven track record of successfully managing payroll amendments (941‑X) and state notice resolutions.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong hands‑on experience with cloud‑based payroll systems (e.g., QuickBooks Online, Payroll Relief) and advanced proficiency in MS Excel (vlookups, pivot tables) for data reconciliation.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of federal, state, and local payroll tax laws, deposit schedules, and filing requirements. Multi‑state compliance experience is highly preferred.
• Skills: Exceptional analytical and investigative skills; strong written communication skills for professional agency correspondence; ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Although we take our work very seriously, we don't take ourselves too seriously. This is more than just a place to get through the workday. We enjoy our work and our time together! If this sounds like what you're looking for, we encourage you to apply. Pay based on experience and education.