Senior Payroll Analyst

Okta•San Francisco, CA

4d•Remote

About The Position

Okta is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented, and analytical Senior Payroll Analyst to join their Americas Payroll team. This role is crucial for executing accurate, compliant, and timely semi-monthly payroll operations across multi-state US jurisdictions for over 5,000+ employees, with potential to support broader AMER entities. The Senior Payroll Analyst will act as a subject matter expert in payroll processing, multi-state tax compliance, and benefit/equity reconciliations, driving operational excellence, implementing workflow automations, and providing support to the growing employee base.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive, end-to-end multi-state US payroll experience, ideally within a high-growth SaaS, tech, or large public enterprise environment.
Advanced proficiency with Workday Payroll and Workday HCM.
Deep experience with payroll vendor reporting tools, ticketing systems (e.g., ServiceNow), and time-tracking systems.
Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, nested logic, pivot tables).
In-depth understanding of US labor laws, FLSA classifications, multi-state withholding, reciprocal agreements, and payroll accounting principles (GL mapping, accruals, account reconciliations).
Strong analytical mindset with the ability to independently investigate payroll discrepancies, reconcile large datasets, and handle ambiguous scenarios.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to clearly explain complex compensation and tax matters to employees and leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Alteryx or other automation tools is a strong plus.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent payroll accreditation is preferred.

Responsibilities

Own and execute complex bi-weekly multi-state US payroll cycles, ensuring accurate calculations for base salary, variable compensation (sales commissions, bonuses), retro adjustments, and termination payouts.
Partner closely with Stock Administration and Accounting to process and reconcile equity-related transactions (RSUs, ESPP, NQSOs) and manage off-cycle payroll runs.
Oversee compliance and execution of specialized deductions, including 401(k) contributions/match audits, FSA/HSA, wage garnishments, and taxable fringe benefits.
Ensure strict adherence to federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations. Manage multi-state tax setups, resolve tax agency notices, and support year-end W-2 reconciliation and reporting.
Execute rigorous pre- and post-payroll audit procedures in compliance with SOX controls, internal accounting policies, and external financial audit requirements.
Identify opportunities to optimize workflows; develop and maintain automated reporting and reconciliation models using advanced Excel and data tools (e.g., Alteryx, Workday EIBs).
Serve as a Tier-2 escalation point for employee inquiries submitted via ServiceNow.
Collaborate cross-functionally with People Operations, Total Rewards, HR Business Partners, and Corporate Accounting.