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Salary: USD 100,000 - 138,000 / annual
Okta is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Analyst to join its Americas Payroll team. In this role, you will own end-to-end payroll operations for a 5,000+ employee organization across multiple US states, with opportunities to support Canada, Argentina, Mexico, and Uruguay.
Key responsibilities include:
**Payroll Operations & Compliance**: Execute complex bi-weekly multi-state US payroll cycles, ensuring accurate calculations for base salary, variable compensation (commissions, bonuses), retroactive adjustments, and termination payouts. Manage multi-state tax setups, resolve tax agency notices, and support year-end W-2 reconciliation and reporting.
**Equity & Benefits Administration**: Partner with Stock Administration and Accounting to process and reconcile equity transactions (RSUs, ESPP, NQSOs). Oversee compliance for specialized deductions including 401(k) contributions/match audits, FSA/HSA, wage garnishments, and taxable fringe benefits.
**Internal Controls & Audits**: Execute rigorous pre- and post-payroll audit procedures in compliance with SOX controls, internal accounting policies, and external financial audit requirements.
**Process Automation**: Identify workflow optimization opportunities and develop automated reporting and reconciliation models using advanced Excel and data tools (Alteryx, Workday EIBs).
**Cross-Functional Support**: Serve as Tier-2 escalation point for employee inquiries via ServiceNow. Collaborate with People Operations, Total Rewards, HR Business Partners, and Corporate Accounting to resolve complex compensation and tax matters.
You will be a subject matter expert in payroll processing, multi-state tax compliance, and benefit/equity reconciliations, driving operational excellence and delivering white-glove support to the growing employee base.
**Requirements:**
- 5+ years of progressive, end-to-end multi-state US payroll experience, ideally in high-growth SaaS, tech, or large public enterprise environments
- Advanced proficiency with Workday Payroll and Workday HCM
- Deep experience with payroll vendor reporting tools, ticketing systems (ServiceNow), and time-tracking systems
- Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, nested logic, pivot tables); Alteryx or similar automation tools strongly preferred
- In-depth understanding of US labor laws, FLSA classifications, multi-state withholding, reciprocal agreements, and payroll accounting principles (GL mapping, accruals, account reconciliations)
- Strong analytical mindset with ability to independently investigate payroll discrepancies and reconcile large datasets
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent payroll accreditation preferred
