Payroll & Tax Analyst

The Payroll & Tax Analyst supports Stout's multi-state payroll and related tax compliance activities, including payroll processing, reconciliations, reporting and corporate tax support. The role serves as a resource to employees, works with Finance, Operations, Human Resources, Benefits, Legal, external vendors and tax advisors, and reports to the Tax Manager. The successful candidate will assume greater ownership across Payroll and Tax over time.

Impact You'll Make:

• Perform payroll, payroll tax and 401(k) reconciliations; research discrepancies; and support month-end payroll accruals, reporting and close activities.
• Support federal, state and local payroll tax compliance, including registrations, account maintenance, quarterly reporting, jurisdiction onboarding and closures, and year-end W-2 balancing and processing.
• Manage physical and electronic tax correspondence by receiving, logging, routing and tracking items; take increasing ownership of research and escalate matters requiring technical review or response.
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries and coordinate with payroll vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve issues accurately and timely.
• Maintain payroll and tax procedures, checklists, controls and supporting records, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen controls and reduce compliance risk.

What You'll Do:

Payroll Processing and Administration

• Serve as a backup Workday payroll processor for a semi-monthly payroll of more than 1,200 salaried and hourly employees across approximately 35 states, including regular, on-demand and off-cycle payrolls.
• Review payroll inputs and employee changes, including hires, terminations, compensation changes, paid time off, leaves, final paychecks, signing bonus repayments, and annual merit and promotion increases.
• Review hourly employee and subcontractor time entries, assist with subcontractor payment calculations, and administer 401(k), insurance, garnishments and other payroll deductions.

Reconciliation, Reporting, and Financial Support

• Perform payroll, payroll tax and 401(k) reconciliations; research discrepancies; and support month-end payroll accruals, reporting and close activities.
• Build and maintain recurring and ad hoc Workday reporting for Payroll, Tax, Finance, Human Resources, month-end close, external advisors and other business needs.
• Assist with payroll tax and 401(k) audits, examinations and annual nondiscrimination testing by compiling documentation and researching discrepancies.

Payroll Tax and Compliance

• Support federal, state and local payroll tax compliance, including registrations, account maintenance, quarterly reporting, jurisdiction onboarding and closures, and year-end W-2 balancing and processing.
• Research payroll tax requirements and agency notices, work with taxing jurisdictions and vendors to resolve issues, and monitor compliance with applicable payroll and tax requirements.

Corporate Tax Support

• Manage physical and electronic tax correspondence by receiving, logging, routing and tracking items; take increasing ownership of research and escalate matters requiring technical review or response.
• Prepare the monthly use tax accrual and calculation, complete related reconciliations, assist with internally prepared tax returns, and prepare annual business license filings and renewals.
• Support external tax preparers and advisors by compiling reports and documentation, responding to requests, assisting with return review and supporting tax research.

Employee and Cross-Functional Support

• Respond to employee payroll inquiries and coordinate with payroll vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve issues accurately and timely.

Controls, Documentation, and Process Improvement

• Maintain payroll and tax procedures, checklists, controls and supporting records, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen controls and reduce compliance risk.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support system enhancements, acquisitions, training, special projects, ad hoc reporting and overflow work, reprioritizing as needed to meet team deadlines.

What You Bring:

• Strong analytical, accounting and numerical skills, with the ability to research discrepancies and work with detailed financial and employee data.
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, payroll, payroll tax, state and local tax, and related compliance requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel; experience with large data sets, reconciliations and commonly used formulas and functions is preferred.
• Strong listening, verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work effectively with employees, internal stakeholders, vendors and external advisors.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, accuracy and thoroughness.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and recurring deadlines in a time-sensitive environment.
• Ability to handle confidential employee, payroll, tax and financial information with discretion and recognize matters requiring escalation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively and assume greater ownership as knowledge and experience develop.

Education and/or Training:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field required.
• Prior professional or internship experience in payroll, tax, accounting, finance or a related function is preferred; payroll and/or tax experience in an accounting-type role is beneficial.
• Previous Workday experience, particularly Workday Payroll and reporting, is preferred; multi-state payroll, payroll tax, state and local tax, reconciliation or general accounting experience is beneficial.

How You'll Thrive:

• Cultivate a positive, team-oriented approach that supports collaboration across Payroll, Tax and the broader organization.
• Demonstrate accountability and reliability by consistently completing work accurately and meeting payroll, tax and reporting deadlines.
• Exhibit an entrepreneurial mindset and a commitment to excellence, what we call Relentless Excellence®, in all aspects of your work.
• Build effective working relationships with employees, internal stakeholders, vendors and external advisors.
• Communicate clearly and respond promptly when resolving payroll questions, discrepancies and compliance matters.
• Bring intellectual curiosity and strong attention to detail when researching issues and working with financial and employee data.
• Manage changing priorities effectively while maintaining accuracy in a deadline-driven environment.
• Continue developing payroll and tax knowledge and assume greater ownership as your experience grows.