Entry Level Senior Payroll Specialist Jobs
New grad senior payroll specialist jobs attract recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where a strong internship background or hands-on coursework in payroll processing can matter more than a long resume. Most openings mix on-site and remote settings across Consulting & Professional Services, Education, and Construction & Real Estate, with employers like Raytheon, Intuit, and City of New York hiring at this level now.
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Overview
Come join Payroll Tax Operations (PTO) as a payroll tax professional responsible for the accurate and timely resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. The Senior Payroll Tax Processor (TP2) is a core production contributor on the team operating with strong technical competence and meaningful independence across a high-volume case workload. We are looking for a detail-oriented, customer-focused payroll tax expert with real hands-on experience resolving tax notices, correcting payroll errors, and preparing amended returns, who is ready to serve as a mentor and role model for TP1 colleagues while continuing to grow their own technical depth.
Responsibilities
- Execute full-cycle payroll tax case work for assigned accounts: process payroll runs accurately, audit pre- and post-payroll output, manage tax filings and payments, and maintain compliance across all active jurisdictions.
- Independently research and resolve complex State and Federal payroll tax notices including balance-due notices, deposit discrepancies, SUI rate change notices, and account mismatch notices owning each case from intake through confirmed closure.
- Prepare written agency responses with complete supporting documentation; submit within agency-required deadlines and confirm receipt.
- Prepare amended payroll tax returns (Form 941-X and state equivalents) independently on complex amendments while retaining ownership.
- Support payroll correction workflows: identify the source of a payroll error, quantify tax impact across affected quarters, document the correction audit trail, and see the resolution through to completion.
- Manage personal WIP queue with discipline: prioritize cases by SLA date, flag aging cases before they breach SLA, and maintain thorough case documentation from first touch to closure.
- Perform high-level trend analysis of customer data, system data, and agency correspondence to identify process or system deficiencies.
- Actively contribute to SOP and KB updates flag outdated content, suggest revisions, and document solutions to previously unresolved issues.
- Participate in cross-functional collaboration with Corrections, Amendments, Pay & File, and Tax Notice teams; serve as a role model for TP1 staff and actively seek coaching and development from TP3 and M1.
Qualifications
- 2–3+ years of hands-on payroll tax experience with demonstrated with a strong focus on notice resolution, amended return preparation, and payroll error correction across multiple states not just general payroll administration
- Working knowledge of IRS and state agency notice types; able to read a notice, identify the type, understand the agency's claim, and determine the appropriate resolution path.
- Demonstrated experience resolving State and Federal payroll tax notices independently, including balance-due notices, penalty assessments, SUI rate change notices, and deposit mismatch notices.
- Comprehensive knowledge of tax payment and filing regulations; solid understanding of the distinction between employee and employer tax responsibilities across federal and state jurisdictions.
- Hands-on experience preparing and approving amended Federal (Form 941-X, W-2c) and State payroll tax returns across all states, including jurisdictions with complex local requirements such as PA, OH, and more.
- Deep knowledge of federal payroll tax law: FICA, FUTA, FITW, employment tax deposit schedules, and associated penalty and interest structures.
- Multi-state payroll tax expertise: reciprocal agreements, resident and nonresident taxation, SUI account management, and local tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
- Proficiency with at least one payroll platform and comfort navigating case management systems such as Salesforce.
- Excel/Google sheet skills required: VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and reconciliation auditing; able to trace a tax discrepancy through a spreadsheet independently.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to interact professionally with state and federal tax agencies and document case activity clearly and completely.
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, or Finance preferred; equivalent experience accepted.
- Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) required; CPP preferred for candidates with 4+ years of experience. Active pursuit of CPP is viewed favorably. CPP holders will be evaluated for accelerated development.
- Experience at a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment is a significant advantage.
Intuit provides a competitive compensation package with a strong pay for performance rewards approach. This position may be eligible for a cash bonus, equity rewards and benefits, in accordance with our applicable plans and programs (see more about our compensation and benefits at Intuit®: Careers | Benefits). Pay offered is based on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location. To drive ongoing fair pay for employees, Intuit conducts regular comparisons across categories of ethnicity and gender.
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Find JobsEntry Level Senior Payroll Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Raytheon4
- Intuit2
- City of New York2
- Maryland Department of Transportation2

- San Francisco Unified School District2
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services10
- Education6
- Construction & Real Estate5
- Government & Public Sector5
- Food & Beverage4
Entry Level Senior Payroll Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level senior payroll specialist job?
Employers hiring at this level look for candidates who have completed coursework in accounting, finance, or human resources, along with any hands-on payroll experience from internships, co-ops, or part-time roles. Familiarity with payroll software such as ADP, Paychex, or Workday gives candidates a clear edge. A demonstrated attention to detail and comfort with tax compliance basics can strengthen an application even without years of full-time experience.
Which companies hire entry level senior payroll specialists?
Companies hiring entry level senior payroll specialists right now include Raytheon, Intuit, and City of New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. At this level, hiring tends to come from larger organizations with dedicated payroll departments, staffing firms, and mid-size companies expanding their HR functions and willing to develop junior talent.
Are there remote entry level senior payroll specialist jobs?
Yes, though on-site roles still make up a meaningful share of openings at this stage. About 16% of entry level senior payroll specialist openings are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, so candidates who need location flexibility have real options. Hybrid arrangements are common, with many employers asking new hires to come in part of the week while they get up to speed.
Are these new grad senior payroll specialist jobs?
Yes, the listings on this page include new grad, recent graduate, and junior roles suited to candidates just entering the field. A new grad friendly posting typically welcomes zero to two years of experience, accepts internships or coursework in place of full-time history, and does not require a professional certification on day one. Look for language like 'entry level,' 'junior,' or 'will train' in the job description as a signal the employer is open to developing early-career candidates.
Which industries hire the most entry level senior payroll specialists?
Entry Level senior payroll specialist roles concentrate in Consulting & Professional Services, Education, and Construction & Real Estate, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. These sectors tend to have large, distributed workforces with complex pay schedules, which creates consistent demand for payroll support staff and makes them reliable entry points for candidates building early-career experience in the field.