Sr. Payroll & Tax Analyst

We are looking for an experienced Senior Accountant to support payroll, tax, and accounting activities for a multi-state employee population in New York, New York. This Contract position calls for a detail-oriented individual who can balance precision, compliance, and timely execution while working across payroll operations, tax reporting, and financial close processes. The ideal candidate brings strong experience with payroll systems, reconciliations, and regulatory requirements, and is comfortable partnering with HR, Accounting, Tax, Legal, and external providers to keep operations accurate and efficient.

Responsibilities:
• Oversee bi-weekly payroll administration for a multi-state workforce, including complex earnings items such as incentive compensation, expatriate payments, and gross-up calculations.
• Maintain payroll system data, pay codes, deduction structures, and related configurations to support accurate processing and compliance with applicable regulations.
• Coordinate payroll funding activities, including payment transfers for employees and benefit vendors, and ensure transactions are completed on schedule.
• Work closely with Accounting to prepare payroll-related journal entries, support accruals, and contribute to month-end close and general ledger accuracy.
• Reconcile payroll, tax, benefits, bank, and liability accounts to identify discrepancies, resolve issues, and maintain audit-ready records.
• Review federal, state, and local payroll tax filings prepared by third-party providers and confirm timely payments, accurate withholding, and proper reporting.
• Manage payroll tax account setup and closures, handle agency notices and correspondence, and maintain authorization documentation for external administrators.
• Support year-end payroll activities by validating W-2 information, assisting with employee distributions, and monitoring regulatory changes that affect payroll compliance.
• Conduct payroll audits and analytical reviews, strengthen internal controls, and recommend process or system enhancements that improve accuracy and reduce operational risk.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and outside vendors to address payroll questions, provide reporting, and assist with special projects and compliance-related requests.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in accounting, payroll, finance, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience managing payroll processing and multi-state payroll tax compliance.
• Minimum of 2 years of hands-on experience with Workday Payroll and ADP payroll tax services or similar payroll tax platforms.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, filings, and compliance practices.
• Advanced Excel capabilities, including functions such as pivot tables, lookups, and data reconciliation techniques.
• Experience preparing journal entries, supporting month-end close, and reconciling general ledger, payroll, bank, and liability accounts.
• Proven ability to analyze issues, solve problems independently, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Certification such as FPC or CPP is preferred, along with experience in payroll audits, compliance controls, or complex payroll scenarios.

Compensation

$40.00-$45.00 Hourly

About Us

Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm that connects highly qualified job seekers to opportunities at great companies. We offer contract, temporary and permanent placement solutions for finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support roles.

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All applicants applying for U.S. job openings must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Benefits are available to contract/temporary professionals, including medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance. Hired contract/temporary professionals are also eligible to enroll in our company 401(k) plan. Visit roberthalf.gobenefits.net for more information.

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