Payroll Operations Specialist

Mercury•Portland, OR

1d•$77,000 - $96,200•Remote

About The Position

The Payroll Operations Specialist supports the compliance infrastructure that keeps our customers’ payroll operations running smoothly. You’ll own operational workflows across state registrations, employer account maintenance, workers’ compensation, business registrations, and related requirements. You’ll work closely with Payroll Operations, Customer Support, Benefit, government agencies, insurance carriers, and external partners to resolve issues and deliver a strong customer experience.

Requirements

2+ years of experience in payroll operations, state or business registrations, workers’ compensation, insurance operations, compliance operations, or a related field.
Strong ownership and ability to manage work from intake through resolution with limited oversight.
Strong research and problem-solving skills, including navigating unfamiliar state requirements, agency websites, and carrier systems.
Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and workflows.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with a customer-focused approach.
Comfortable working directly with government agencies, carriers, vendors, and cross-functional partners.
Curiosity and willingness to develop deep subject-matter expertise.

Nice To Haves

Experience with multi-state employer or business registrations and account maintenance.
Experience with workers’ compensation policy administration, renewals, audits, or carrier relationships.
Experience with FQAL, RAA, SOI, or other business compliance filings.
Experience in payroll, fintech, PEO, benefits, insurance, or another high-growth operational environment.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end workflows across assigned areas, including state registrations, employer account maintenance, workers’ compensation, Foreign Qualification (FQAL), Registered Agent Administration (RAA), Statements of Information (SOI), and related requirements.
Research state and local requirements and determine the steps needed to establish and maintain employer accounts, business registrations, and coverage.
Work directly with government agencies, insurance carriers, brokers, and third-party partners to establish accounts, obtain information, and resolve issues.
Manage account, registration, and policy lifecycle changes, including registrations, updates, state additions, renewals, audits, transfers, and closures.
Investigate and resolve registration, account access, policy, coverage, and other operational issues.
Maintain accurate customer records, credentials, documentation, deadlines, and status tracking.
Communicate requirements, blockers, timelines, and next steps clearly to customers and internal partners.
Identify recurring issues and improve processes, documentation, controls, and automation.
Manage a high-volume workload while prioritizing time-sensitive and high-risk work.
Support other Payroll Operations initiatives and duties as business and team needs evolve.