Payroll Analyst

Business Wire; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health benefits

Fitness stipend

Tuition reimbursement

401(k) match + profit sharing

PTO & holidays

Job summary

Business Wire seeks a Payroll Analyst to manage end-to-end U.S. payroll and assist international processes. You will administer Workday Payroll and Time Tracking, review inputs, and resolve complex issues while ensuring regulatory compliance.

The role emphasizes analytical rigor, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous process improvement. You will work with HR and Finance to maintain accuracy, deliver timely payroll, and support audits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience and 3+ years with Workday payroll modules.
• Strong U.S. payroll tax compliance expertise.
• Advanced Excel skills (PivotTables, VLOOKUP).
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for end-to-end U.S. payroll processing and assist with international payroll activities.
• Analyze payroll data to identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, and resolve issues accurately and timely.
• Review and validate payroll inputs, including earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, and one-time payments.
• Analyze payroll reports and perform payroll reconciliations, including gross-to-net balancing and time-to-payroll reconciliations.
• Manage off-cycle payrolls, payroll adjustments, and employee terminations, including final pay compliance.
• Ensure payroll deadlines are met through calendars, checklists, and sign-off procedures.
• Support compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and wage/hour requirements.
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing and audits.
• Support internal and external audits by maintaining accurate payroll documentation.
• Administer and support Workday Payroll and Time Tracking, including payroll processing, time entry, approvals, and time calculation rules.
• Support configuration, testing, troubleshooting, and enhancement of Workday Payroll and Time Tracking.
• Maintain payroll and timekeeping reports, including year-to-date earnings and audit reports.
• Partner with HRIS and the Payroll Manager on Workday enhancements, testing, and releases.
• Monitor, audit, and reconcile timekeeping data for accuracy and compliance.
• Respond to payroll inquiries from employees and managers with strong service.
• Serve as backup for managing the allotment inbox and related tasks.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes through automation.
• Develop and maintain payroll SOPs and process documentation.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance/HR

Tools

Workday Payroll

Workday Time Tracking

Excel advanced (PivotTables, VLOOKUP)

Job description

We are seeking a highly skilled Payroll Analyst to support accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations across multiple countries, including the U.S. This role is responsible for processing end-to-end payroll, administering Workday Payroll and Time Tracking, investigating and resolving complex payroll issues, performing payroll audits and reconciliations, ensuring compliance with payroll tax regulations, and delivering exceptional customer service to stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills, payroll processing experience, the ability to work collaboratively across HR, Finance, and other business functions, while contributing to continuous process improvement, with a proven ability to enhance efficiency, strengthen controls, and support global payroll strategy

What You Will Do

• Responsible for end-to-end U.S. payroll processing and assist with international payroll activities.
• Analyze payroll data to identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, and resolve issues accurately and within established timelines.
• Review and validate payroll inputs, including earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, tax levies, and one-time payments, ensuring accuracy and compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Analyze payroll reports and perform payroll reconciliations, including gross-to-net balancing, payroll tax reconciliations, and time-to-payroll reconciliations.
• Manage off-cycle payrolls, payroll adjustments, and employee terminations, including final pay compliance.
• Ensure payroll deadlines are consistently met through adherence to payroll calendars, checklists, and sign-off procedures.
• Support compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and wage and hour requirements.
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing, payroll tax reconciliations, audits, and regulatory reporting.
• Support internal and external audits by maintaining accurate payroll documentation and records.
• Administer and support Workday Payroll and Time Tracking, including payroll processing, time entry, approvals, and time calculation rules.
• Support the configuration, testing, troubleshooting, and enhancement of Workday Payroll and Time Tracking in accordance with Change Management procedures.
• Maintain payroll and timekeeping reports, including year-to-date earnings, exception reports, and audit reports.
• Partner with HRIS and the Payroll Manager on Workday enhancements, testing, and releases.
• Monitor, audit, and reconcile timekeeping data to ensure accuracy and compliance with company policies.
• Maintain payroll and timekeeping reports, including year-to-date earnings, exception reports, and audit reports.
• Respond promptly to payroll inquiries from employees and managers while providing exceptional customer service.
• Serve as the backup contact for managing the allotment inbox.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll and timekeeping processes through automation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain payroll documentation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and process documentation to support consistency and cross-training.
• Participate in cross-functional projects and perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Payroll Manager or Corporate Accounting Team Lead

What You Will Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience and 3+ years with Workday payroll modules.
• Strong expertise in U.S. payroll tax compliance.
• Expert-level Microsoft Excel skills (advanced PivotTables, VLOOKUP, database creation).
• Strong report writing and data analysis skills.
• Proven ability to manage complexity in a global payroll environment with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills with commitment to confidentiality and integrity.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, global workplace and build strong cross-cultural partnerships.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

What We Offer

The base salary range for this position is $80k to $84k/year. Offered salary will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to: applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with geographic market data. Business Wire reserves the right to modify this salary range at any time.

Business Wire’s total rewards include:

• Ability to work remotely
• Excellent health benefits that begin on your first day of employment
• $100 monthly fitness allotment, a tuition reimbursement program, and enhanced mental health resources
• 401(k) plan with generous company match, and annual profit sharing contribution (subject to company performance)
• PTO, Floating Holidays, Wellness Day Off, Birthday Day Off, and more!