Senior Payroll Analyst

LHH; United States; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule (3 days in office, 2?0

Job summary

LHH is partnering to hire a Senior Payroll Analyst to own the U.S. payroll operation, overseeing biweekly processing for about 1,000 employees and serving as the payroll subject matter expert across the organization.

The role emphasizes process improvement, compliance, and system enhancements, with a hybrid work arrangement and opportunities to influence future HRIS initiatives.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience.
• Experience managing multi-state payroll.
• Experience owning end-to-end payroll process.
• Solid knowledge of payroll tax, wage and hour, and compliance requirements.
• Experience with an enterprise payroll or HRIS platform.
• Strong reconciliation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work with sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to meet payroll deadlines.
• Ability to communicate payroll concepts clearly to employees and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end biweekly U.S. payroll for ~1,000 employees and ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Handle payroll inputs, audits, reconciliations, adjustments, and final processing.
• Support tax filings, W-2 processing, and year-end activities.
• Maintain payroll records and documentation; respond to payroll questions across the organization.
• Collaborate with HR, Benefits, Finance to reconcile and report payroll data.
• Assist with payroll system configuration, testing, enhancements, and integrations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, HR

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

We are partnering with a growing, purpose-driven organization to identify a Senior Payroll Analyst to take ownership of its U.S. payroll operation.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll professional who wants more than simply processing payroll. You’ll own the end-to-end biweekly payroll process for about 1,000 U.S. employees, serve as a trusted payroll resource across the organization, and have the opportunity to influence processes, systems, controls, and future payroll initiatives.

The organization is in a transformative stage of growth, creating opportunities to get involved in exciting projects, including future payroll and HRIS enhancements and upgrades.

This role is ideal for someone who is curious, accountable, eager to learn, comfortable asking questions, and motivated by continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do

Own End-to-End Payroll

• Manage the complete biweekly U.S. payroll process for approximately 1,000 employees.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately, consistently, and on time.
• Manage payroll inputs, audits, reconciliations, adjustments, and final processing.
• Review payroll data for accuracy and proactively identify discrepancies.
• Handle complex or exception pay items such as bonuses, commissions, retroactive adjustments, terminations, severance, and other special payments.
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including tax filings and W-2 processing.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation.

Payroll Compliance & Tax

• Serve as a knowledgeable resource on federal, state, and local payroll requirements.
• Support payroll tax withholding, deposits, reporting, and year-end processes.
• Research and resolve multi-state payroll and taxation questions.
• Maintain compliance with applicable wage and hour requirements.
• Respond to payroll-related agency notices and support external audits.
• Manage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other involuntary deductions.
• Stay current on regulatory changes that may impact payroll processes.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Utilize ADP Workforce Now to support payroll processing and administration.
• Partner with HR on payroll system configuration, testing, enhancements, and integrations.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and automate payroll processes.
• Participate in future payroll and HRIS upgrades and transformation initiatives.
• Develop and maintain payroll reports, reconciliations, and controls.
• Troubleshoot payroll discrepancies and focus on identifying root causes rather than simply correcting individual errors.
• Support system testing and implementation activities as payroll processes evolve.

Partner Across the Organization

• Work closely with HR Operations, Benefits, Finance, managers, and employees to resolve payroll questions and issues.
• Partner with Finance on payroll reconciliation, general ledger activity, accruals, and reporting.
• Coordinate with Benefits to ensure deductions and benefit-related payroll changes are processed accurately.
• Explain payroll, tax, and deduction matters clearly to employees and internal partners.
• Serve as a trusted resource for complex payroll questions.
• Build collaborative relationships across HR and the broader organization.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an experienced payroll professional who combines technical payroll expertise with curiosity, ownership, and strong problem-solving skills.

Required Experience

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience.
• Strong hands-on experience managing multi-state payroll.
• Experience owning or playing a significant role in an end-to-end payroll process.
• Solid knowledge of payroll tax, wage and hour, and payroll compliance requirements.
• Experience with an enterprise payroll or HRIS platform.
• Strong reconciliation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work with sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to consistently meet payroll deadlines.
• Ability to communicate payroll concepts clearly to employees and internal stakeholders.

Experience That Will Really Stand Out

• ADP Workforce Now experience.
• Experience with payroll system implementations, conversions, or upgrades.
• Advanced multi-state payroll expertise.
• Payroll tax and year-end processing experience.
• Experience supporting multiple entities or legal entities.
• Experience partnering closely with Finance on payroll reconciliation and reporting.
• Canadian payroll exposure is a plus, but is not required and this position will not currently process Canadian payroll.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification is a plus.

Who Will Thrive Here

Technical payroll knowledge is important, but how you approach your work will matter just as much.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Curious: You want to understand the "why" behind a process, not simply complete the task.
• Accountable: You take ownership of your work and follow issues through to resolution.
• Eager to learn: You’re excited by new systems, processes, challenges, and opportunities.
• Collaborative: You build strong partnerships across HR, Finance, and the broader organization.
• Comfortable asking for help: You know when to research independently and when to pull in the right partners.
• Detail-oriented: You recognize that accuracy matters enormously when employees' pay is involved.
• Improvement-minded: You naturally look for ways to make processes smarter, cleaner, and more efficient.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Own the U.S. payroll process from beginning to end
• Support approximately 1,000 U.S. employees
• Join a collaborative HR team
• Work in a hybrid environment with three days in office and two days remote
• Gain exposure to meaningful payroll and HRIS transformation projects
• Partner closely with HR Operations, Benefits, and Finance
• Work for an organization experiencing growth and change
• Opportunity to grow as the organization and its systems continue to evolve

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field is preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education and directly relevant payroll experience will also be considered.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification is a plus.

This position follows a hybrid schedule with three days in the office and two days remote.