Payroll and Accounting Analyst

The Standard; Portland (OR); Remote; USD 66,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Annual incentive bonus

PTO + holidays

Paid parental leave

Employee giving matches

Job summary

The Standard, a trusted Portland-based benefits and insurance provider, seeks a Payroll and Accounting Analyst who will ensure accurate, compliant payroll processing and tax administration. You will audit data, perform reconciliations, resolve complex issues, and collaborate with HR, Benefits, Finance, HRIS, and vendors to maintain data integrity and drive automation.

This remote-friendly role requires strong Excel skills, multi-state payroll experience, and a proactive approach to internal

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required; Associate degree or higher preferred.
• 6 years of payroll experience, preferably supporting a multi-state workforce of 1,000+ employees across multiple legal entities.
• Experience with multi-state payroll processing and payroll tax compliance, including federal, state, and local tax requirements.
• Experience performing payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, balancing activities, and payroll-related accounting support.
• Experience researching and resolving complex payroll issues, payroll tax discrepancies, and tax notices.
• Strong understanding of federal and state wage and hour laws, payroll regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Experience using large ERP and payroll systems to process payroll, conduct analysis, support testing activities, and resolve payroll issues; Workday Payroll experience preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis, reconciliations, formulas, reporting, and data validation.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology, automation, analytics, and AI-enabled tools to improve payroll processes, strengthen controls, increase efficiency, and support data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Analyze and audit payroll data to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.
• Perform payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, and balancing activities for earnings, deductions, taxes, and payroll-related accounts.
• Research and resolve complex payroll and payroll tax issues, including supporting payroll tax compliance, tax notices, and year‑end activities.
• Partner with employees, managers, HR, Benefits, Finance, HRIS, and vendors to resolve payroll inquiries and ensure payroll data integrity.
• Identify and implement process improvements, strengthen payroll controls, support audits, and participate in testing and validation of payroll system enhancements.

Skills

Payroll processing

Payroll tax compliance

Advanced Excel

Data analysis

Customer service

Education

Associate degree or higher preferred

Tools

Workday Payroll

ERP systems

Job description

Remote Type: Remote (USA)

Portland, OR

Remote, USA

Time Type: Full time

Job Summary

The Payroll and Accounting Analyst is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, compliance, and timely delivery of payroll processing through detailed analysis, auditing, reconciliation, and payroll tax activities. This role performs payroll accounting, reporting, payroll tax administration, payroll-related data management, and employee deduction administration while supporting employees and business partners with complex payroll inquiries. The Payroll and Accounting Analyst serves as a key resource for payroll compliance, payroll tax research, payroll reconciliations, and issue resolution. This role partners closely with Human Resources, Benefits, Compensation, Finance, Accounting, HRIS, and third‑party vendors to maintain payroll accuracy, strengthen internal controls, support audits, and drive continuous process improvements. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, payroll tax expertise, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.

*This role requires the ability to travel once per year.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and audit payroll data to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.
• Perform payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, and balancing activities for earnings, deductions, taxes, and payroll-related accounts.
• Research and resolve complex payroll and payroll tax issues, including supporting payroll tax compliance, tax notices, and year‑end activities.
• Partner with employees, managers, HR, Benefits, Finance, HRIS, and vendors to resolve payroll inquiries and ensure payroll data integrity.
• Identify and implement process improvements, strengthen payroll controls, support audits, and participate in testing and validation of payroll system enhancements.

Skills and Background You’ll Need

Education: High School Diploma required. Associate degree or higher preferred.

Experience: 6 years of payroll experience, preferably supporting a multi-state workforce of 1,000+ employees across multiple legal entities.

• Demonstrated experience with multi-state payroll processing and payroll tax compliance, including federal, state, and local tax requirements.
• Experience performing payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, balancing activities, and payroll-related accounting support.
• Experience researching and resolving complex payroll issues, payroll tax discrepancies, and tax notices.
• Strong understanding of federal and state wage and hour laws, payroll regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Experience using large ERP and payroll systems to process payroll, conduct analysis, support testing activities, and resolve payroll issues; Workday Payroll experience preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis, reconciliations, formulas, reporting, and data validation.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology, automation, analytics, and AI-enabled tools to improve payroll processes, strengthen controls, increase efficiency, and support data-driven decision making.

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate

• Improvement Mindset: Continually seeks new ways to create business/ customer value by identifying and implementing opportunities for improved efficiency, effectiveness and innovation.
• Customer Focus: Understands and anticipates both internal and external customer needs and develops customer-inspired solutions that exceed expectations.

• Winning Together: Actively engages colleagues to achieve shared outcomes by developing trust, inviting diverse perspectives and pushing to bring the best ideas forward.

Why Join The Standard?

We have built an enduring legacy of stability, financial strength and exceptional customer service through the contributions of the service-oriented people who choose to work at The Standard. To ensure we can attract and retain the best talent, when you join The Standard you can expect:

• A rich benefits package including medical, dental, vision and a 401(k) plan with matching company contributions
• An annual incentive bonus plan
• Generous paid time off including 11 holidays, 2 wellness days, and 8 volunteer hours annually — PTO increases with tenure
• A supportive, responsive management approach and opportunities for career growth and advancement
• Paid parental leave and adoption/surrogacy assistance
• An employee giving program that double matches your donations to eligible nonprofits and schools

• Eligibility to participate in an incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program and plan. Any award depends on a variety of factors including individual and organizational performance.

In addition to the competitive salary range below, our employee-focused benefits support work‑life balance. Learn more about working at The Standard.

Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Mortgage Investors, LLC, StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., and American Heritage Life Insurance Company and American Heritage Service Company, marketed as The Standard, are affirmative action/equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran status or any other condition protected by federal, state or local law. Except where precluded by state or federal law, The Standard will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. The Standard offers a drug- and alcohol‑free work environment where possession, manufacture, transfer, offer, use of or being impaired by an illegal substance while on The Standard's property, or in other cases which the company believes might affect operations, safety or reputation of the company is prohibited. The Standard requires a criminal background investigation and employment, education and licensing verification as a condition of employment. After any conditional offer of employment is made, the background check will include an individualized assessment based on the applicant’s specific record and the duties and requirements of the specific job. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain and correct background information. All employees of The Standard must be bondable.

The actual compensation for this role will be based on a combination of education and experience, knowledge and skills, position budget, internal equity, and market data.

Salary Range: $66,000.00 - $96,250.00

Positions will be posted for at least 5 days from original posting date.

About Us

The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping its customers achieve financial well‑being and peace of mind. In business since 1906, we’re a leading provider of group and individual disability insurance, group life, dental and vision insurance, voluntary (employee‑paid) benefits, absence management services, and retirement plans and annuities for employers and individuals. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.