Payroll Specialist

Title: Payroll Specialist (USA Focus)

Location: Remote, USA

Hours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm EST or CST

Salary: $65,000 – $75,000 / year USD

Employment Type: Permanent Full-Time

Overview

Raise is seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our Global Operations team. This role requires strong US-specific payroll and payroll tax expertise, with direct impact on both the internal employee experience and client delivery. You will play a critical role in processing payroll, maintaining compliance across multiple jurisdictions, and supporting continuous process improvement across North America.

Role Profile

As a Payroll Specialist, you will manage complex, high-volume payroll cycles and ensure accurate payroll tax processing across multiple states. You will provide strategic guidance to internal stakeholders, support audit and reporting functions, and contribute to process and systems enhancements. This role requires close collaboration with Payroll Administrators, Support, and Finance teams to maintain compliance, timeliness, and data integrity.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing:

• Process payroll for temporary workers for US and Canada.
• Calculate wages, overtime, bonuses, and deductions accurately.
• Enter adjustments and create special reporting.

Payroll Tax Compliance & Reporting (High Priority):

• Maintain full accountability for US federal, state, and local payroll tax compliance.
• Prepare and submit payroll tax filings, including quarterly and annual reports (e.g., 941, W-2, W-4).
• Track, update, and apply state and federal burden rates, including unemployment insurance, Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlements.
• Calculate and reconcile ACA and benefits data for staff and contract workers.
• Support responses to tax authority notices, audits, and agency inquiries.
• Stay current on legislative changes impacting payroll taxation and advise internal stakeholders accordingly.

Process Improvement & Collaboration:

• Analyze payroll data and trends to support forecasting and continuous improvement.
• Recommend and implement improvements to increase efficiency and reduce errors.
• Ensure data integrity and alignment between payroll and accounting systems.
• Collaborate with Support and Finance departments to resolve discrepancies and align reporting.

Employee Support:

• Serve as a key point of contact for employee inquiries regarding pay, deductions, tax withholdings, and system access.
• Maintain accurate records of employee data, payroll transactions, and tax filings.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in a US payroll coordination or payroll specialist role.
• Proven experience processing payroll across multiple US states with varied taxation and withholding rules.
• Strong knowledge of US payroll tax laws and compliance, including SUI, FUTA, FICA, ACA, garnishments, and reciprocal state agreements.
• Experience preparing and submitting federal and state tax filings (941, W-2, W-4, etc.).
• Familiarity with payroll tax resolution, including responding to IRS or state notices.
• Experience supporting internal and external audits and year-end tax reconciliations.
• Proficient in payroll software such as ADP (Workforce Now preferred), Dayforce, Workday, SAP, or similar.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.



*Please note that this role has been cross-posted as we are considering candidates from either Canada or the USA. There is one role available.

About Raise

Raise is an established hiring firm with over 65 years of experience. We believe strongly in making the world a better place through work, which is why we’re a certified B Corporation and donate 10% of our profits to charity.

We strive to build teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we work in. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including people from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people identifying as LGBTQ2SI, veterans, and people with visible/nonvisible disabilities.

We have a dedicated webpage for accommodations where you can learn more about what we offer, and request accommodation: https://raise.jobs/accommodations/.

In order to submit candidates for roles, our clients will sometimes require personal information to confirm the identity of applicants and their legal status to work. Raise will never ask you for personal or banking information unless you have been selected for a job. If you are ever unsure about the legitimacy of this or another job posting by Raise (or have any other questions), please contact us at 1 800-567-9675 or hello@raiserecruiting.com.

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