Demo

Payroll Consultant

CFS
Portland, OR Full Time
POSTED ON 7/8/2026 CLOSED ON 8/6/2026

What are the responsibilities and job description for the Payroll Consultant position at CFS?

About The Opportunity

Our client is looking for an experienced Payroll Consultant to help evaluate and improve their payroll and timekeeping processes during an upcoming team transition. In this role, you'll take a deep dive into how payroll operates today, identify opportunities to strengthen controls, improve efficiency, and reduce manual work, and provide recommendations that will help set the team up for long-term success.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys understanding how things work, asking thoughtful questions, and finding practical ways to improve processes. You'll partner closely with Finance and leadership to assess the current state and provide recommendations.

Responsibilities

  • Document current payroll and timekeeping processes from start to finish, including employee setup and terminations, timesheets, payroll processing, adjustments, benefit deductions, payroll taxes, and partner distributions.
  • Meet with key stakeholders to understand current workflows, roles, responsibilities, and system interactions.
  • Review payroll processes and internal controls to identify risks, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Evaluate payroll tax setup and compliance for employees across multiple U.S. states and Canada.
  • Assess how payroll and timekeeping systems work together and identify opportunities for automation and better system utilization.
  • Recommend improvements to payroll processes, documentation, internal controls, and workflow efficiency.
  • Provide guidance on payroll team structure, roles, and responsibilities to support future staffing plans.
  • Assist with knowledge transfer planning during the payroll leadership transition, if needed.
  • Prepare clear process documentation, workflow diagrams, findings, and recommendations for leadership.

Qualifications

  • Significant experience leading or consulting on multi-state payroll operations.
  • Experience documenting payroll processes and evaluating internal controls.
  • Strong knowledge of payroll tax compliance and payroll best practices.
  • Experience with payroll process improvement, operational assessments, or organizational transitions.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to build trust, ask thoughtful questions, and work collaboratively with employees at all levels.
  • Excellent analytical, organizational, and documentation skills.

Preferred Experience

  • Experience supporting professional services or other project-based organizations.
  • Familiarity with project-based timekeeping and job costing.
  • Experience reviewing payroll team structures and making staffing recommendations.
  • Background identifying automation opportunities and improving payroll processes.

Why You'll Love This Opportunity

  • Make a lasting impact during an important payroll transition.
  • Work directly with Finance leadership on a high-visibility project.
  • Use your payroll expertise to improve processes, strengthen controls, and recommend best practices.
  • Join a collaborative, people-focused organization that values continuous improvement and innovation.

Please email your resume for immediate consideration.

Tia McKeen, Senior Managing Director - Staffing

Timing is everything. Whether you are aggressively in a job search or simply passive for the ideal position, we would like to have the chance to share our opportunities with you. We specialize in placement for accounting and finance professionals. Many of our positions are not posted on the internet. Please contact me for more information about this role as well as other opportunities.

#INJUL2026

Salary : $110,000 - $150,000

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