SR. ANALYST, PAYROLL

El Pollo Loco; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan with match

Paid Vacation & Holidays

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

El Pollo Loco is seeking a Senior Payroll Analyst to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across states. This role partners with People Services, Legal, Accounting, and IT to resolve complex issues and drive process improvements.

The ideal candidate has extensive payroll experience, excels in CA payroll regulations, and can support quarterly and year-end activities such as W-2 processing. The position emphasizes system enhancements and audits.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of progressive payroll experience, including processing large, multi-state payrolls.
• Minimum 3 years supporting enterprise payroll systems.
• Strong understanding of federal and state payroll regulations.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables and lookups.
• Certified Payroll Professional preferred.
• Experience with enterprise level systems such as Dayforce.

Responsibilities

• Process bi-weekly multi-state payrolls accurately and timely.
• Audit payroll transactions to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Review and validate earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, bonuses, and final pay calculations.
• Coordinate garnishments and respond to inquiries.
• Monitor withholding limits and maintain garnishment records.

Skills

Advanced payroll knowledge

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Influence without authority

Education

5–7 years payroll experience

Minimum 3 years supporting enterprise payroll systems

High School Diploma/GED

Certified Payroll Professional preferred

Tools

Excel

Dayforce

Job description

575 Anton Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA

Job Description

Posted Monday, August 3, 2026 at 7:00 AM

At El Pollo Loco, we are on a mission to be the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant. When it comes to our people, we are all about growth. Whether that means specialized training, a clearly laid out career trajectory or collaborating cross-functionally, we are committed to the success of our people the same way we’ve been committed to the success of the El Pollo Loco brand for the last 50 years. In fact, we see you as our secret ingredient. While our chicken is fire, it’s our people who set us ablaze.

Our restaurants are only the tip of the flame! If you’re looking for an innovative, winning, and welcoming workplace, then a flamin’ good career in our Restaurant Support Center is right for you.

At our Support Center, we believe our best work is done Together, when departments collaborate and everyone is confident in contributing their ideas. This is why we are in the office 3 days per week.

Let’s Get Loco!

What’s in it for you!

• STRONG office culture recognized as a Great Place to Work® and driven by our core values: Simple. Together. Relentless. Ownership. Nimble. Growth
• Competitive pay and bonus potential
• Medical + Dental + Vision Insurance + HSA Savings Account
• 401(K) Retirement Plan with company match and immediate vesting
• Paid Vacation + Sick Pay + 12 Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program

POSITION PURPOSE:

The Senior Payroll Analyst is responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while serving as a subject matter expert for payroll operations, payroll systems, and regulatory compliance. This role partners closely with People Services, Legal, Accounting, Field Operations, and IT to resolve complex payroll issues, support system enhancements, improve business processes, and drive operational excellence. The Senior Payroll Analyst serves as a technical resource for payroll-related initiatives, performs advanced payroll analysis and reconciliations, supports audits and compliance reporting, and identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and the overall employee experience.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Process bi-weekly multi-state payrolls accurately and timely.
• Audit payroll transactions to ensure compliance with company policies and federal, state, and local regulations.
• Review and validate earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, bonuses, retroactive pay, and final pay calculations.
• Process off-cycle payrolls, manual checks, reversals, and adjustments as needed.
• Reconcile payroll balances prior to payroll transmission.
• Administer all wage garnishments, including child support, tax levies, creditor garnishments, bankruptcy orders, and other court-ordered deductions.
• Review and interpret garnishment orders to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Coordinate with employees, agencies, and third-party vendors regarding garnishment inquiries.
• Monitor withholding limits and ensure deductions are processed accurately and timely.
• Maintain garnishment records and required documentation.
• Resolve complex garnishment issues while ensuring compliance with applicable laws.
• Maintain expertise in California payroll regulations.
• Support quarter-end and year-end payroll activities including W-2 processing and tax reconciliations.
• Assist with payroll audits and regulatory reporting.
• Participate in system testing, upgrades, implementations, and payroll-related projects.
• Perform monthly payroll reconciliations and variance analysis.
• Develop and maintain recurring and ad hoc payroll reports.
• Analyze payroll trends and identify opportunities for process improvements.
• Support Accounting with payroll-related reporting and reconciliations.
• Monitor payroll metrics and identify areas of risk.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures and documentation.
• Recommend best practices to improve payroll accuracy and efficiency.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives across Payroll.
• Partner with People Services, Accounting, Field Operations, and IT to resolve payroll issues.
• Provide payroll expertise during system implementations and business initiatives.
• Support operational leaders by researching and resolving complex payroll inquiries.
• Other activities, duties or responsibilities that are assigned by your leader.

QUALIFICATIONS – EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, LICENSE/CERTIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. The requirements listed below are representative of the education and/or experience required.

Education/Work Experience:

• High School Diploma/GED Required.
• 5–7 years of progressive payroll experience, including processing large, multi-state payrolls.
• Minimum 3 years supporting enterprise payroll systems.
• Strong understanding of federal and state payroll regulations.
• Advanced knowledge of California payroll laws.
• Experience processing payroll for organizations with 4,000+ employees preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, and reconciliation techniques.
• Experience with payroll audits and reconciliations.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex payroll issues and identify root causes.
• Certified Payroll Professional preferred.
• Experience with enterprise level systems (Dayforce Preferred)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced payroll knowledge
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to influence without direct authority

Our Company

In 1980 the first American El Pollo Loco opened on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, quickly becoming a destination for the best citrus-marinated, fire-grilled pollo in town. Over the past four decades, El Pollo Loco has grown into more than 500 restaurants across 9 states, becoming an L.A. mainstay and cultural benchmark along the way. Today, we continue to work just as hard to always provide our customers with Quality Chicken. Fast. Easy. Affordable

The pay range identified is the hourly or salary rate El Pollo Loco expects to pay for the posted position. This range does not include any benefits or bonus opportunities that might be available for the position based on position and eligibility criteria. At El Pollo Loco, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range. Individual pay decisions will vary based on a variety of factors including years of experience, industry experience, education, geography, etc.