- Salary
- $70K–$80KUSD
- Hiring from
- United States
- Work type
- Hybrid
- Posted
- Oct 2, 2026
The Senior Specialist applies sound judgment to resolve payroll discrepancies, manage competing deadlines, and escalate matters involving material risk, legal interpretation, or changes in scope. The role may also review work completed by Payroll Specialists and provide day-to-day guidance without having formal supervisory responsibility.
Success Factors
Responsibilities
- Accurately and timely process payrolls for assigned clients, ensuring all calculations are correct. Review personal work for accuracy and compliance
- Assist with the setup and integration of new payroll clients, ensuring a smooth transition and accurate implementation of payroll services
- Provide support in responding to and resolving tax notices, ensuring that all issues are addressed promptly and accurately
- Ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll updates including new hires, terminations and changes to payrates
- Ensure proper processing of payroll deductions for taxes, benefits, and other deductions
- Maintain client and employee data
- Organize facts, analyze and interpret information according to client circumstances
- Provide on-going training and education to clients regarding the online service model and technologies
- Resolve complex payroll issues promptly while maintaining a high level of client service
- Supervise and mentor junior team members, providing training as needed to ensure the team’s growth and development
- Participate in strategic planning regarding payroll operations and suggest improvements to procedures and processes
- Provide timely and high-quality service to meet and exceed client expectations and perform research on projects as needed
- Research and resolve client inquiries
- Review year-end and quarterly payroll tax reporting (941, W-2, W-2c, etc.)
- Develop and maintain expert knowledge in payroll regulations at the federal, state and local level
- Take initiative to understand and apply available resources and appropriate guidance and policies
- Participate in continuous learning activities and active research to improve and develop technical expertise; apply learned concepts
- Perform other duties as assigned
People Management/Relationships
- Take initiative to be a team player (proactively seek opportunities to help others)
- Treat everyone with respect
- Develop loyalty and trust with team
- Successfully adapt to different personalities and working styles
- Proactively and effectively communicate information regarding status issues to team members
- Hold self accountable for assigned work; seek continuous feedback to learn and develop in role; open to new ideas and suggestions
Required Skills
- Experience managing multiple payrolls, entities, or client accounts with overlapping deadlines
- Excellent organization skills and strong attention to detail
- Multitasker with the ability to prioritize work accordingly
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong client service focus
- Strong analytical and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work autonomously under the pressure of tight deadlines and multiple priorities
- Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects
Education, Experience and Certifications
- Associate degree in accounting, business, human resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- Three or more years of payroll-processing experience, including responsibility for full-cycle payroll
- Fundamental Payroll Certification or Certified Payroll Professional designation
- Must have valid driver's license
Essential Functions
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position as needed
- The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery etc.
- Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer
- Ability to communicate in a professional manner and exchange information with internal and external actors as needed
- Ability to lift/carry up to 20 pounds
- Ability to work outside of normal business hours and weekends as needed
- This job description is subject to change at any time and employee will be given additional responsibilities as assigned
Salary Range:
$70,000 - $80,000About Us
What makes RKL a dynamic professional services leader and an employer of choice in Pennsylvania? A focus on people, whether that’s earning the trust and respect of our clients, growing as people and professionals, serving our communities or forming bonds with colleagues. Our people are the best of us and they fuel RKL’s continued growth and success.
Fostering a workplace culture that fulfills our team members both personally and professionally is central to the RKL mission. That’s why we offer robust learning and development, diverse career paths and experiences, abundant community service opportunities and social, team-building activities.
Benefits You’ll Receive:
RKL promotes a recognized culture of health and offers an extensive array of benefits to meet individual lifestyles, including but not limited to medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent day care expenses and short-term/long-term disability. You’ll also receive competitive paid time off to pursue your interests or rest and recharge, and a 401(k) with employer match and profit-sharing to invest in your future.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.
It is RKL’s policy to make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact our HR team at 717.394.5666 or careers@rklcpa.com if you are interested in applying and need assistance to submit your application, or if you are interested in a position and believe you may require a reasonable accommodation in order for you to perform its essential functions.