Payroll and Tax Specialist

Mission Critical Group•Indianapolis, IN

72d

About The Position

The Payroll and Tax Specialist is a critical role responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll, ensuring complete compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations for our growing organization. As a member of the payroll team, this role will co-support a dynamic population of approximately 1,200 employees (and growing!) across multiple Centers of Excellence (COEs) and geographic locations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field is preferred, or equivalent experience.
3 - 5 years of progressive experience in high-volume payroll processing, specifically supporting employee populations of 1000 or more.
Demonstrated expertise in multi-state and local payroll tax administration, including registration and nexus requirements.
Proficient experience with a major HRIS system is required (e.g., Workday, Oracle, SAP, UltiPro/UKG). Paylocity experience strongly preferred.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables) for data analysis and reconciliation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex tax and payroll concepts to employees and management.

Nice To Haves

Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is a significant plus.

Responsibilities

Process Payroll: Execute the end-to-end processing and reconciliation of multi-frequency payrolls (e.g., bi-weekly, weekly) for employees, ensuring all hours, wages, deductions, reimbursements, and withholdings are entered and calculated correctly.
Data Integrity: Verify all payroll-related data, including new hires, terminations, rate changes, transfers, and benefits deductions across various COEs. Partner with Finance to ensure accurate General Ledger mapping.
Garnishments and Deductions: Accurately process and remit involuntary and voluntary deductions, including child support, tax levies, and retirement contributions.
Timesheets: Work with COE local HR to ensure timely and accurate reporting of hours worked within the timekeeping system in order to effectively process payroll.
External Benefit Processing: Complete 401k & HSA reconciliation and ensure timely submission following each processed payroll.
Multi-Jurisdictional Tax Management: Ensure complete compliance with all payroll tax laws, including federal, multi-state, and local withholding, unemployment, and employer tax obligations for all COEs.
Tax Filings and Remittance: Manage timely and accurate preparation and submission of all required tax filings and remittances for all entities and jurisdictions.
Tax Registration: Partner with Paylocity for new tax registrations and closing of tax accounts that are no longer needed
Quarterly Tax Reconciliation: Review and reconcile quarterly 941s for all COEs.
Year-End Reporting: Coordinate and execute year-end payroll activities, including balancing, reconciliation, and accurate production and distribution of W-2s and 1099s.
System Management: Co-manage the payroll and tax modules within the HRIS, including configuration, testing of system updates, and troubleshooting.
Process Improvement: Identify, recommend, and implement improvements to payroll processes and system workflows to enhance efficiency and minimize risk and manual intervention, particularly in support of the scaling organization.
Customer Service: Serve as a subject matter expert, resolving complex payroll, tax, and system queries from employees and HR partners across all Centers of Excellence in a timely and professional manner.
Audit Support: Prepare detailed reports and documentation to support internal, external, and government audits (e.g., 401(k) audits, workers’ compensation audits).