Payroll & Tax Compliance Analyst (Hybrid)

Oregonmetro; Oregon; Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

Metro, serving the greater Portland region, is seeking a Payroll Management Analyst to ensure accurate, timely payroll processing and regulatory compliance. You’ll drive tax compliance, reconciliations, journal entries, and system maintenance, partnering with HR, Finance, IT, and Benefits teams.

The role emphasizes accounting rigor, data analysis, attention to detail, and continuous improvement across payroll operations. On-site two days weekly with hybrid flexibility in Oregon.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Data Analytics or similar.
• Two years of relevant experience in payroll administration, payroll tax compliance, payroll accounting, timekeeping administration, HRIS support, or a closely related field.
• Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Perform payroll tax administration and compliance activities, including federal, state, and local payroll tax processing, account maintenance, tax payments, reconciliations, corrections, reporting, and resolution of agency notices, audits, and inquiries.
• Coordinate and support year-end payroll reporting requirements, including W-2 reconciliation and reporting, quarterly tax filings, Multiple Worksite Reports, SAIF reporting, workers' compensation reporting support, and other regulatory reporting obligations.
• Oversee payroll tax accuracy and compliance by auditing employee tax setup, monitoring taxable wages, reviewing payroll transactions, validating jurisdictional tax calculations, and ensuring compliance with changing payroll laws and regulations.
• Perform and oversee accounting activities related to payroll operations, including reconciling payroll accounts, reviewing financial transactions, researching discrepancies, and ensuring accurate recording of payroll-related expenses, liabilities, deductions, and payments.
• Prepare, review, and post journal entries related to payroll processing, payroll adjustments, benefit deductions, tax liabilities, accruals, and other payroll-related accounting transactions. Ensure entries are properly supported, accurately coded, and recorded in the appropriate accounting periods.
• Perform general ledger reconciliations and balancing activities, including reconciling payroll subledger activity to general ledger accounts, reviewing chartfields and account combinations, investigating variances, and ensuring financial records are complete and accurate.
• Monitor and reconcile payroll-related balance sheet accounts, including payroll clearing accounts, accrued payroll liabilities, tax payable accounts, benefit deductions, and other related accounts. Identify outstanding items, research reconciling differences, and coordinate timely resolution.
• Support monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes by preparing reconciliations, analyzing payroll expenditures, reviewing account balances, preparing adjusting entries, and providing supporting documentation for financial reporting and audits.
• Administer payroll system configuration and maintenance, including earnings and deduction code updates, tax updates, fiscal year chartfield and general ledger combination code changes, payroll calendar reviews, and testing of system updates and enhancements.
• Troubleshoot payroll and accounting issues; manage financial and operational data requests; analyze trends and variances; and ensure accurate payroll processing and reporting.
• Support payroll system projects, including system implementations, upgrades, integrations, testing, process improvements, and cross-functional initiatives to improve efficiency, financial accuracy, compliance, and service delivery.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, Benefits, Total Rewards, HRIS, and other stakeholders to support audits, collective bargaining agreement and leave program changes, troubleshooting efforts, financial reconciliations, data validation, and operational improvements.
• Provide advanced payroll and accounting technical support and consultation, including reviewing complex payroll transactions, off-cycle payments, settlement agreement payments, payroll accounting corrections, journal entries, workflow monitoring, and resolution of payroll processing issues.
• Develop, maintain, and improve payroll and accounting procedures, reconciliation documentation, internal controls, and business processes while responding to internal and external information requests and supporting continuous improvement efforts across payroll operations.

Skills

Payroll administration

Payroll tax compliance

Payroll accounting

Timekeeping administration

HRIS support

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Data Analytics or similar

Tools

PeopleSoft Payroll

UKG Workforce Management

Workday

Oracle HCM

Job description

Metro, serving the greater Portland region, is seeking a Payroll Management Analyst to ensure accurate, timely payroll processing and regulatory compliance. You’ll drive tax compliance, reconciliations, journal entries, and system maintenance, partnering with HR, Finance, IT, and Benefits teams.

The role emphasizes accounting rigor, data analysis, attention to detail, and continuous improvement across payroll operations. On-site two days weekly with hybrid flexibility in Oregon.