SR. ANALYST, PAYROLL

El Pollo Loco•Costa Mesa, CA

3d•$33 - $37•Hybrid

About The Position

At El Pollo Loco, we are on a mission to be the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant. When it comes to our people, we are all about growth. Whether that means specialized training, a clearly laid out career trajectory or collaborating cross-functionally, we are committed to the success of our people the same way we’ve been committed to the success of the El Pollo Loco brand for the last 50 years. In fact, we see you as our secret ingredient. While our chicken is fire, it’s our people who set us ablaze. Our restaurants are only the tip of the flame! If you’re looking for an innovative, winning, and welcoming workplace, then a flamin’ good career in our Restaurant Support Center is right for you. At our Support Center, we believe our best work is done Together, when departments collaborate and everyone is confident in contributing their ideas. This is why we are in the office 3 days per week. Let’s Get Loco! The Senior Payroll Analyst is responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while serving as a subject matter expert for payroll operations, payroll systems, and regulatory compliance. This role partners closely with People Services, Legal, Accounting, Field Operations, and IT to resolve complex payroll issues, support system enhancements, improve business processes, and drive operational excellence. The Senior Payroll Analyst serves as a technical resource for payroll-related initiatives, performs advanced payroll analysis and reconciliations, supports audits and compliance reporting, and identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and the overall employee experience.

Requirements

High School Diploma/GED Required.
5–7 years of progressive payroll experience, including processing large, multi-state payrolls.
Minimum 3 years supporting enterprise payroll systems.
Strong understanding of federal and state payroll regulations.
Advanced knowledge of California payroll laws.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, and reconciliation techniques.
Experience with payroll audits and reconciliations.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex payroll issues and identify root causes.
Experience with enterprise level systems (Dayforce Preferred)
Advanced payroll knowledge
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent attention to detail
Strong organizational and time management skills
Ability to manage multiple competing priorities
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong customer service orientation
Ability to maintain confidentiality
Ability to influence without direct authority
Continuous improvement mindset

Nice To Haves

Experience processing payroll for organizations with 4,000+ employees preferred.
Certified Payroll Professional preferred.

Responsibilities

Process bi-weekly multi-state payrolls accurately and timely.
Audit payroll transactions to ensure compliance with company policies and federal, state, and local regulations.
Review and validate earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, bonuses, retroactive pay, and final pay calculations.
Process off-cycle payrolls, manual checks, reversals, and adjustments as needed.
Reconcile payroll balances prior to payroll transmission.
Administer all wage garnishments, including child support, tax levies, creditor garnishments, bankruptcy orders, and other court-ordered deductions.
Review and interpret garnishment orders to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Coordinate with employees, agencies, and third-party vendors regarding garnishment inquiries.
Monitor withholding limits and ensure deductions are processed accurately and timely.
Maintain garnishment records and required documentation.
Resolve complex garnishment issues while ensuring compliance with applicable laws.
Maintain expertise in California payroll regulations.
Support quarter-end and year-end payroll activities including W-2 processing and tax reconciliations.
Assist with payroll audits and regulatory reporting.
Participate in system testing, upgrades, implementations, and payroll-related projects.
Perform monthly payroll reconciliations and variance analysis.
Develop and maintain recurring and ad hoc payroll reports.
Analyze payroll trends and identify opportunities for process improvements.
Support Accounting with payroll-related reporting and reconciliations.
Monitor payroll metrics and identify areas of risk.
Identify opportunities to automate manual processes.
Develop and maintain payroll procedures and documentation.
Recommend best practices to improve payroll accuracy and efficiency.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives across Payroll.
Partner with People Services, Accounting, Field Operations, and IT to resolve payroll issues.
Provide payroll expertise during system implementations and business initiatives.
Support operational leaders by researching and resolving complex payroll inquiries.
Other activities, duties or responsibilities that are assigned by your leader.