US Payroll and Tax Lead

Rise Works•,

21h•$110,000 - $135,000

About The Position

Rise is a global payroll and workforce platform that helps companies hire, pay, and manage employees and contractors worldwide through its own technology. The company is growing, launching new products, and expanding into new markets. The US Payroll and Tax Lead owns Rise’s full US payroll and tax function, including processing, filings, remittances, agency registrations, and year-end reporting for Rise’s employees and the employers serviced through its payroll platform. The role builds payroll processes and controls from scratch and serves as a close internal user of the Rise platform, identifying issues and working with product and engineering teams to improve its US payroll and tax capabilities. The position also supports direct payroll customers with complex compliance questions, tax notices, and other payroll issues. It creates SOPs and audit-ready records and helps translate compliance requirements into effective product features.

Requirements

At least 6 years of US payroll experience, including direct ownership of multi-state processing and employment tax compliance.
Hands-on experience preparing and submitting payroll tax filings and remittances across a broad range of federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
Experience completing state and local agency registrations.
Working knowledge of multi-state withholding, unemployment tax, W-2 and 1099 requirements, and quarterly and annual return obligations.
A track record of building processes and controls in environments that were not fully established.
Strong attention to detail and reconciliation habits.

Nice To Haves

Background in a payroll services, EOR, or PEO environment, with responsibility for payroll and tax on behalf of client employers.
Familiarity with payroll tax engines such as MasterTax or Symmetry.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
Experience handling tax notices and agency inquiries across multiple jurisdictions.

Responsibilities

Run end-to-end payroll cycles for US employees and client employers, covering wages, deductions, benefits, and garnishments.
Own the payroll calendar and ensure accurate, timely delivery across all pay schedules.
Handle off-cycle payroll runs and corrections.
Prepare and submit federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and remittances across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
File quarterly and annual returns, including W-2s and 1099s, accurately and on time.
Complete employer registrations and tax account setup in new states and localities.
Maintain the compliance tracker and filing calendar.
Manage agency notices and resolve tax discrepancies and audit requests across active jurisdictions.
Help direct payroll customers resolve complex compliance questions, tax notices, and other issues.
Write SOPs for payroll processing, filings, reconciliations, and year-end work.
Build audit-ready records and practical controls into payroll and tax processes.
Use the Rise platform and identify areas where it falls short for US payroll or tax.
Work with product and engineering teams to turn compliance requirements into effective product features.