Tax Accountant

ACCO Engineered Systems•Pasadena, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll Tax Accountant is a dependable, self-directed payroll tax specialist responsible for accurate, timely, and compliant payroll tax withholding, reporting, and filing across federal, state, and local jurisdictions. This role brings deep expertise in employee tax deductions and employee-side tax filings in multiple states, owns payroll tax reconciliations and agency resolution, supports payroll cash forecasting, and partners with Payroll, Finance, and external service providers to strengthen payroll tax processes and systems.

Requirements

5+ years of payroll tax experience required, including multi-state and local tax filings and employee tax withholding.
Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll and employment tax law, including multi-state withholding requirements.
Hands-on experience with payroll tax software and ERP systems; experience with ADP setup and administration is a plus.
Experience with JD Edwards payroll and Vertex integrations are a plus.
Experience reconciling payroll tax accounts to the general ledger and supporting month-, quarter-, and year-end close.
Proven track record of tracing transactions from employee paychecks to final bank remittances within a complex ERP environment to guarantee zero missed or overpaid taxes.
Dependable self-starter who works independently with minimal supervision and takes full ownership of deadlines.
Highly accurate, detail-oriented, and organized; able to perform detailed review of others’ work.
Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills, including advanced Excel and financial modeling.
Excellent customer service and strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to prioritize, plan, and manage multiple deadlines with flexibility to respond to changing needs.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee the preparation, review, and timely filing of all federal, state, and local payroll tax returns and deposits across multiple states and legal entities, including Forms 940, 941, W-2, W-2C, amended returns, and applicable state and local equivalents. Ensure full compliance with regulatory deadlines and evolving tax legislation.
Ensure the accurate calculation and withholding of employee payroll taxes across all federal, state, and local jurisdictions in which employees reside and work, including multi-state, nonresident, and reciprocal agreement scenarios. Maintain employee tax profiles, respond to employee withholding inquiries, and ensure the accuracy of employee tax reporting.
Lead the payroll tax components of the year-end W-2 process, including review, testing, preparation, filing, and distribution, in collaboration with Payroll and external service providers. Prepare tax adjustments for taxable compensation and coordinate with Payroll and Benefits to ensure timely processing.
Lead the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close for payroll tax accounts. Reconcile payroll tax liabilities and remittances to the general ledger specifically within JD Edwards. Proactively audit payroll to GL data mapping issues to ensure transaction flow. Investigate and resolve variances immediately.
Maintain and update the weekly cash projection schedule. Develop and refine forward-looking payroll projections that reflect evolving business needs, staffing levels, and seasonal fluctuations in workload.
Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll tax matters with internal stakeholders, external auditors, and regulatory agencies. Manage internal and external payroll tax audits, research and respond to agency notices, and resolve discrepancies and penalty assessments.
Serve as the primary technical expert for payroll tax configurations within JD Edwards. Lead the step-by-step testing and validation of JD Edwards payroll tax system updates before they go live. Proactively diagnose disconnects between the payroll module and the general ledger to ensure tax logic and cash disbursements align.
Partner with external payroll tax service providers on return preparation, periodic compliance reporting, and tax account maintenance, holding vendors accountable for accuracy and timeliness.
Monitor emerging and changing payroll tax laws and regulations, assess their operational impact, and ensure payroll policies and procedures remain current and compliant. Act as the payroll tax liaison for expansions into new jurisdictions ensuring that all local, state, and federal tax withholdings are considered and programmed into our payroll software.
Evaluate payroll tax processes, internal controls, and system workflows on an ongoing basis. Partner with Payroll, AP, and Accounting to standardize procedures, drive automation, mitigate risk, and improve operational efficiency.
Provide guidance and financial modeling on the payroll tax implications of corporate restructuring, employee mobility, equity compensation, and fringe benefits.
Design, implement, and maintain rigorous tracking schedules and internal controls to monitor the lifecycle of all tax liabilities. Maintain comprehensive documentation and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure a transparent, verifiable record of all satisfied and pending tax remittances.
Perform other duties as assigned.