Sr. Payroll Analyst

Job Title: Senior Payroll Analyst

Location: Costa Mesa, CA (Hybrid – Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday in Office)

Schedule: Monday–Friday (Additional onsite days as business needs require)

Pay Rate: $35.00–$37.00/hour (W2)

Employment Type: 6 Months (Possible Conversion)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Analyst to support high-volume, multi-state payroll operations in a fast-paced environment. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while serving as a subject matter expert for payroll systems, compliance, reporting, and process improvements.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with enterprise payroll systems such as Dayforce (Ceridian), ADP, UKG, Workday, or similar, along with strong knowledge of California payroll laws, payroll reconciliations, garnishments, and payroll audits. Experience supporting large organizations, particularly within the restaurant or retail industry, is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Process and audit high-volume, multi-state bi-weekly payroll accurately and on time.
• Review payroll transactions, including earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, bonuses, retro pay, and final pay.
• Process off-cycle payrolls, manual checks, reversals, and payroll adjustments.
• Perform payroll reconciliations and resolve payroll discrepancies before payroll transmission.
• Administer wage garnishments, child support, tax levies, bankruptcy orders, and other court-ordered deductions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and California payroll regulations.
• Support quarter-end and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing, tax reconciliations, and payroll audits.
• Develop and maintain payroll reports, analyze payroll trends, and identify process improvement opportunities.
• Partner with HR, Accounting, Operations, Legal, and IT to resolve complex payroll issues and support payroll projects.
• Participate in payroll system implementations, upgrades, testing, and process automation initiatives.
• Maintain payroll documentation, policies, and best practices while ensuring data accuracy and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; CPP certification is a plus.
• 5–7 years of progressive payroll experience, including high-volume, multi-state payroll processing.
• Experience processing payroll for large organizations (4,000 employees preferred).
• Hands-on experience with enterprise payroll systems such as Dayforce (preferred), ADP, UKG, Ceridian, Workday, or similar.
• Strong knowledge of California payroll laws and federal/state payroll regulations.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations, audits, garnishments, payroll taxes, and compliance reporting.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, and data analysis.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience supporting restaurant, hospitality, retail, or other high-volume workforce environments is highly preferred.

Preferred Experience

• Enterprise payroll systems (Dayforce/Ceridian preferred).
• Large multi-state payroll environments.
• Restaurant or fast-food organizations such as In-N-Out, Del Taco, Taco Bell, or similar high-volume employers.
• Continuous process improvement, payroll system enhancements, and cross-functional project support.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT:

Suna Solutions provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Applicants, with criminal histories, are considered in a manner that is consistent with local, state, and federal laws.

REQUESTING AN ACCOMODATION

Suna Solutions is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or religious observances, including reasonable accommodation when needed. If you are hired by Suna Solutions and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you will be asked to participate in our reasonable accommodation process. Accommodations made to facilitate the recruiting process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired.

If you would like to be considered for employment opportunities with Suna Solutions and have accommodation needs for a disability or religious observance, please call us at 1 (888) 223-4788, send us an email or speak with your recruiter.

PAY TRANSPARENCY POLICY STATEMENT

Compensation for roles at Suna Solutions varies depending on a wide array of factors including but not limited to the specific client, office or remote location, role, skill set and level of experience. As required by local law, Suna Solutions provides a reasonable pay scale to include the hourly or salary range that Suna Solutions reasonably expects to pay for roles that may be hired in California, Colorado, New York City or Washington as set forth below.