Payroll Tax Analyst

Carters Inc. • Atlanta, GA

21h • Hybrid

About The Position

Serving the needs of all families with young children, Carter’s Inc. is the largest North American apparel retailer exclusively for babies and young children, encompassing Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, SkipHop and Little Planet brands. Meaningful work, constant learning, genuine people, and a community guided by core values that promote inclusion and innovation is in everything we do. There are many reasons to build your career at Carter's. We are a market leader in baby and children’s apparel and are looking for an experienced Payroll Tax Analyst to join our payroll team. This role is responsible for end‑to‑end payroll tax compliance across multiple U.S. jurisdictions, including tax agency registrations, unemployment insurance (SUI) rate management, and ongoing partnership with third‑party tax vendors. This is a highly hands‑on role requiring deep payroll tax knowledge, strong follow‑through, and the ability to independently manage complex tax activities, audits, and projects. The ideal candidate is detail‑oriented, analytical, and thrives in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment. This is a hybrid position based in Atlanta, GA and reports into the Payroll Director in our Buckhead office on a hybrid work schedule.

Requirements

• 5+ years of payroll experience in a high‑volume environment
• 3+ years of U.S. payroll tax experience in a multi‑state environment
• Hands‑on experience with tax agency registrations, SUI rate management, and payroll tax adjustments
• Strong understanding of employer payroll tax reporting requirements (W‑2, 941, SUI, local taxes)
• Experience working with third‑party tax vendors (OSV, ADP, UKG, etc.)
• Experience with Workday Payroll or similar systems
• High attention to detail with the ability to work independently
• Clear verbal and written communication skills
• Knowledge of accounting related to payroll processing
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or Business and or payroll certificates preferred

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with payroll tax vendors (e.g., ADP SmartCompliance, Equifax, Bloomberg)
• US and Canada payroll processing experience
• Knowledge of payroll tax for U.S. territories or Canadian jurisdictions a plus
• Experience managing Pennsylvania local taxes and PSD setup
• Exposure to SUI audits and rate protests
• Advanced Excel and reporting skills
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and payroll systems
• Self-motivated and capable of balancing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while effectively achieving team goals
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with a continuous improvement mindset
• Team player who works well in a collaborative environment
• US and Canada payroll processing experience

Responsibilities

• Partner with payroll team to ensure accurate tax setup and ongoing maintenance in Workday
• Manage federal, state, and local payroll tax cases through OSV, including research, resolution, and follow‑up
• Monitor and maintain payroll tax registrations, working with state agencies and vendor as needed
• Perform employee tax audits, focusing on live‑vs‑work state setup and multi‑state taxation accuracy
• Prepare, review, and reconcile tax data for payroll runs; ensure accurate tax withholding and reporting
• Research and process payroll tax adjustments as needed
• Respond to employee and internal partner inquiries related to payroll tax issues within established SLAs
• Support payroll processing through tax audits, validations, and issue resolution
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll tax reconciliations and filings, including W-2s, 941s, 940s, and other IRS/state forms
• Own preparation of audit documentation for internal controls and external audits
• Assist with registration and compliance tracking across all applicable jurisdictions
• Partner with HR, Legal, and Finance to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local tax laws
• Support audits related to unemployment insurance and payroll tax compliance
• Ensure SOX compliance for tax processes and maintain accurate, audit-ready records
• Maintain and update tax-related standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Continuously improve tax processes, partnering with payroll, finance, and vendor teams to drive efficiency
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes that impact payroll tax and ensure compliance
• Leverage Workday reporting and tools to streamline tax reconciliation and documentation

Benefits

• Career Development: Success starts from within, and we have several paths from which you can choose to enhance your career evolution. From Carter’s University to Toastmasters to mentorship programs and more, we encourage you to utilize these tools to elevate your professional prowess.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level