Senior Analyst, Payroll Tax (US and Canada)

Description

• Provide reporting and analytics on payroll tax metrics (e.g., remittance timeliness, balance sheet reconciliations, tax notices).
• Monitor changes in payroll tax laws and regulations in both Canada and US; assess impacts and drive implementation of required changes.
• Mentor and train junior payroll tax staff, support cross-functional teams on tax matters.
• Reconcile payroll tax accounts (general ledger, bank, payroll register) for accuracy and completeness across both countries.
• Coordinate with payroll/HRIS systems and vendors to ensure correct tax setup, deductions, classifications, tax rates, and reporting.
• Support filing of quarterly, annual and ad hoc payroll tax returns for US states/localities and Canadian provinces/territories. Investigate and resolve notices or audits from tax authorities.
• Manage and oversee payroll tax processing for US federal, state/local jurisdictions and Canadian federal and provincial/territorial jurisdictions — including withholding, employer contributions, remittances, filings and reconciliations.
• Develop, document and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), internal controls and audit documentation for payroll tax activities.
• Act as a subject-matter expert on payroll tax regulations and implications (US: e.g., federal FICA/Medicare/Unemployment, state unemployment tax, local tax; Canada: federal CPP, EI, provincial/territorial tax, Employer Health Tax, etc.).
• Serve as key escalation point for payroll tax inquiries and issues from payroll teams, HR, finance and external auditors.
• Drive process improvements, automation, and standardization of payroll tax workflows across Canada and US operations.
• Partner with Finance/Accounting for year-end tax activities: US W-2/1099 filings, Canadian T4/T4A filings, corporate tax support as needed.
• Collaborate with external vendors/suppliers (tax filing services, payroll providers, third-party tax vendors) to ensure timely and accurate service delivery.

Requirements

• Strong knowledge of US payroll tax regulations (federal, state/local) and Canadian payroll tax regulations (federal and provincial/territorial).
• Experience working with payroll systems/HRIS and tax filing software; familiarity with vendor services for tax filings preferred.
• Certification in payroll (e.g., CPP, FPC) or tax is preferred.
• Minimum 4-6 years (or more) of payroll tax, payroll operations, tax compliance or similar experience — preferably covering both the US and Canada.
• Proficiency in MS Excel (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros) and ability to analyze large data sets.
• Strong communication (written and verbal) skills; ability to explain complex tax issues to non-tax stakeholders.
• Ability to lead projects, drive improvements and implement change.
• Ability to work across time zones.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines and with multiple jurisdictions.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field (or equivalent experience).

Benefits

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance