Senior Payroll Contractor

Unity Search Group; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Unity Search is partnering with an established company in Dallas to recruit a Senior Payroll Contractor for an immediate on-site assignment. The role is full-time, on-site five days a week in Uptown Dallas, with a through-January 2027 window and potential extension into February.

The ideal candidate will own assigned payrolls, handle multi-state processing, and support tax compliance, reconciliations, and year-end activities with minimal oversight.

Qualifications

• Must have hands-on experience processing multi-state payroll independently.
• Experience with Workday payroll strongly preferred; other payroll systems okay.
• Proficient in Excel (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, pivot tables).
• Strong attention to detail and ability to resolve payroll issues without close supervision.

Responsibilities

• Independently process assigned domestic biweekly payrolls for ~2,000 employees across 50 states.
• Review and audit payroll data; research discrepancies and resolve issues.
• Respond to employee payroll questions clearly and professionally.
• Research and resolve employment tax/compliance notices with tax agencies as needed.
• Assist with quarterly and annual payroll compliance, year-end reporting and reconciliations.
• Support payroll tax projects and system reconciliations; validate data in Excel.

Skills

Payroll processing

Workday payroll

Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP/Pivot)

Multi-state payroll

Communication

Deadline management

Tools

Workday

Payroll systems

Job description

Senior Payroll Contractor Uptown Dallas | Fully On-Site

Unity Search has partnered with an established company seeking a Senior Payroll Contractor for an immediate assignment. This role is fully on-site in Dallas, five days per week, and is expected to run through January 2027, with a possible extension through February. This person will take ownership of assigned payrolls and support payroll tax compliance, reconciliations, and year-end activities. This is a great opportunity for an experienced payroll professional who enjoys working independently and resolving complex issues.

Primary Responsibilities

• Independently process assigned domestic biweekly payrolls for an organization with roughly 2,000 employees across all 50 states.
• Review and audit payroll data, research discrepancies, and resolve processing issues.
• Respond to employee payroll questions with clear, professional communication.
• Research and resolve employment tax and compliance notices, including communicating directly with tax agencies.
• Assist with quarterly and annual payroll compliance, including year-end reporting and reconciliations.
• Support payroll tax projects and system reconciliations, using Excel to validate data and identify discrepancies.

Requirements

• Strong hands-on experience independently processing multi-state payroll, including familiarity with state-specific requirements such as California.
• Solid understanding of payroll fundamentals and employment tax compliance, including experience resolving tax issues and agency notices.
• Workday payroll experience strongly preferred; other payroll system experience will be considered.
• Experience with payroll tax compliance systems is a plus.
• Proficiency in Excel, including VLOOKUPs, XLOOKUPs, and pivot tables.
• Strong technology skills.
• Comfortable using AI tools.
• Ability to take ownership, manage deadlines, and resolve issues with limited oversight.
• Strong attention to detail and professional communication skills.
• Availability to work fully on-site in Dallas, Monday-Friday.
• Immediate availability and commitment to complete the assignment through January 2027, with potential to continue through February.

Interview process: Two rounds, an initial phone screen followed by an in-person interview.