[Hiring] Payroll and Accounting Analyst @The Standard

Role Description

The Payroll and Accounting Analyst is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, compliance, and timely delivery of payroll processing through detailed analysis, auditing, reconciliation, and payroll tax activities. This role performs payroll accounting, reporting, payroll tax administration, payroll-related data management, and employee deduction administration while supporting employees and business partners with complex payroll inquiries. The Payroll and Accounting Analyst serves as a key resource for payroll compliance, payroll tax research, payroll reconciliations, and issue resolution.

This role partners closely with Human Resources, Benefits, Compensation, Finance, Accounting, HRIS, and third-party vendors to maintain payroll accuracy, strengthen internal controls, support audits, and drive continuous process improvements. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, payroll tax expertise, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.

• This role requires the ability to travel once per year.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and audit payroll data to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.
• Perform payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, and balancing activities for earnings, deductions, taxes, and payroll-related accounts.
• Research and resolve complex payroll and payroll tax issues, including supporting payroll tax compliance, tax notices, and year-end activities.
• Partner with employees, managers, HR, Benefits, Finance, HRIS, and vendors to resolve payroll inquiries and ensure payroll data integrity.
• Identify and implement process improvements, strengthen payroll controls, support audits, and participate in testing and validation of payroll system enhancements.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required. Associate degree or higher preferred.
• 6 years of payroll experience, preferably supporting a multi-state workforce of 1,000+ employees across multiple legal entities.
• Demonstrated experience with multi-state payroll processing and payroll tax compliance, including federal, state, and local tax requirements.
• Experience performing payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, balancing activities, and payroll-related accounting support.
• Experience researching and resolving complex payroll issues, payroll tax discrepancies, and tax notices.
• Strong understanding of federal and state wage and hour laws, payroll regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Experience using large ERP and payroll systems to process payroll, conduct analysis, support testing activities, and resolve payroll issues; Workday Payroll experience preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis, reconciliations, formulas, reporting, and data validation.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology, automation, analytics, and AI-enabled tools to improve payroll processes, strengthen controls, increase efficiency, and support data-driven decision making.

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate

• Improvement Mindset: Continually seeks new ways to create business/customer value by identifying and implementing opportunities for improved efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation.
• Customer Focus: Understands and anticipates both internal and external customer needs and develops customer-inspired solutions that exceed expectations.
• Winning Together: Actively engages colleagues to achieve shared outcomes by developing trust, inviting diverse perspectives, and pushing to bring the best ideas forward.

Benefits

• A rich benefits package including medical, dental, vision and a 401(k) plan with matching company contributions.
• An annual incentive bonus plan.
• Generous paid time off including 11 holidays, 2 wellness days, and 8 volunteer hours annually — PTO increases with tenure.
• A supportive, responsive management approach and opportunities for career growth and advancement.
• Paid parental leave and adoption/surrogacy assistance.
• An employee giving program that double matches your donations to eligible nonprofits and schools.

Salary Range

$66,000.00 - $96,250.00