Senior Payroll Accountant

Our client, a growing restaurant group is seeking a Senior Payroll Accountant to serve as a key member of the finance team. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced, multi-location environment and brings a strong foundation in both payroll operations and general ledger accounting. You will play a critical role in ensuring payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance, and the integrity of financial reporting across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Process full-cycle, multi-state payroll for both hourly and salaried employees across all locations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Maintain and reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts, including wages payable, accrued PTO, and payroll tax liabilities.
• Prepare and post payroll journal entries in accordance with GAAP; perform monthly, quarterly, and year-end payroll account reconciliations.
• Partner with HR to manage new hires, terminations, rate changes, garnishments, and other payroll adjustments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, including timely tax filings and remittances.
• Coordinate and respond to payroll-related audits, including workers' compensation, 401(k), and state agency inquiries.
• Generate and analyze payroll reports to support budgeting, forecasting, and labor cost analysis across locations.
• Maintain employee records within the payroll system and ensure data integrity across HR and accounting platforms.
• Assist with year-end processing including W-2 preparation and distribution.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy within the payroll function.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll experience, with demonstrated exposure to general ledger accounting and month-end close processes.
• Experience in the restaurant or hospitality industry, required
• Strong understanding of payroll compliance, multi-state tax regulations, and wage and hour laws.
• Hands-on experience with payroll journal entries, account reconciliations, and GL coding.
• Hands-on experience with R365 and Toast strongly preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills; ability to work with large data sets and generate meaningful reports.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation is a plus but not required.