Senior Payroll Specialist

W. W. Grainger; Lake Forest (IL); Hybrid; USD 62,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan with company 6%

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Grainger seeks a Senior Payroll Tax Specialist to ensure payroll tax compliance for North America, supporting about 20,000 employees. This senior IC role emphasizes tax expertise, vendor coordination, and regulatory adherence in a hybrid Lake Forest setting.

The position requires strong analytical skills, experience with SAP and ADP, and collaboration with HR, Finance, Benefits, and external partners. Onsite work two days weekly in Lake Forest, IL.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of payroll tax experience across multiple jurisdictions.
• Deep knowledge of payroll operations, systems (SAP, ADP), payroll controls, vendor management, and tax compliance.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and issue management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
• Experience supporting audits and maintaining compliance with SOX and SOC1 controls.
• Excellent communication skills for partnering with internal and external stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred; CPP/CPA a plus.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with payroll tax regulations for North American operations.
• Execute tax activities: tax setups, garnishments, filings, and remittances.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for payroll tax and provide guidance to payroll teams.
• Develop and maintain SOPs for payroll tax processes.
• Support quarter-end and year-end payroll tax activities and reporting.
• Collaborate with HRSD, Finance, Benefits and external vendors (ADP) to resolve tax issues.
• Manage ServiceNow cases related to payroll tax and compliance.
• Participate in audits (SOX, SOC1) and ensure internal controls compliance.
• Lead or participate in special projects related to payroll tax compliance and system upgrades.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Independent working

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

CPP/CPA a plus

Tools

SAP

ADP

Job description

Location: LAKE FOREST, IL, US, 60045-5202

Work Location Type: Hybrid

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working by serving more than4.6 million customersworldwide with maintenance, repair andoperating(MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customerexpertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported2025 revenue of$17.9 billion. For more information, visitwww.grainger.com.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $61,800.00 – $102,900.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 5 % or $ , based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Position Overview

The Senior Payroll Tax Specialist is responsible for ensuring payroll tax compliance and operational excellence for North America, supporting approximately 20,000 employees. This role is a senior-level individual contributor focused on payroll tax and compliance, without direct people management responsibilities. The Sr. Specialist Payroll Tax partners closely with payroll teams, outsourced vendors, and internal stakeholders to ensure payroll tax processes meet service level agreements, quality targets, and regulatory requirements.

This is a hybrid position and is onsite 2 days per week in Lake Forest, IL.

You Will

• Ensure compliance with all payroll tax regulations (federal, state, local, and provincial) for North American operations.
• Responsible for executing taxactivities:including tax setups, garnishments, filings, and remittances, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for payroll tax, providing guidance and technical support to payroll teams and business partners.
• Develop andmaintainstandard operating procedures (SOPs) for payroll tax processes, ensuring documentation is current andaccurate.
• Support quarter-end and year-end payroll tax activities, including reconciliations, audits, and reporting.
• Collaborate with internal teams (HRSD, Finance,Benefits) and external vendors(ADP)to resolve payroll tax issues and ensure alignment.
• Manage ServiceNow cases related to payroll tax and compliance, ensuringtimelyresolution and high-quality employee experience.
• Participate in audits (SOX, SOC1) and ensure compliance with internal controls and labor laws.
• Lead orparticipatein special projects related to payroll tax compliance, system upgrades (SAP, ADP), and continuous improvement initiatives.

You Have

• Minimum of 8 years of payroll tax experience across multiplejurisdictions, including Canadian payroll.
• Deep knowledge of payroll operations, systems (SAP, ADP), payroll controls, vendor management, and tax compliance.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and issue management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
• Experience supporting audits andmaintainingcompliance with SOX and SOC1 controls.
• Excellent communication skills for partnering with internal and external stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred; relevant certifications (CPP, CPA)a plus.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.