Client Facing Tax Services Consultant (Payroll)

HCM Unlocked�s difference is our people. Our culture thrives on trust, accountability, and empowering consultants to be autonomous, nimble, and client focused.

The Tax Services Consultant manages a diverse, multi-jurisdictional client portfolio, balancing priorities across tax registrations and closures, notice resolution, audits and special projects. Consultants are trusted advisors who engage effectively with all levels of client leadership, including the C-suite, by translating complex tax issues into clear, actionable business terms. Success in this role requires delivering proactive updates, anticipating risks, and driving accurate, timely outcomes in a fast-paced, multi-client environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Portfolio Management: Manage an assigned client portfolio by monitoring HCM systems and communications for actionable items, ensuring timely completion of actionable items, and providing clear, ongoing status updates to clients.
• Client Engagement: Build and maintain strong client relationships at all levels by leading tax discussions, communicating proactively, managing expectations, and translating complex tax matters into simple, easy-to-understand information.
• Registrations & Account Maintenance: Register and maintain state and local payroll tax accounts (including withholding, unemployment, paid leave, and disability), by managing activations, deactivations, portal enrollments, and account updates while ensuring accurate records within the HCM system.
• Acquisitions: Support mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, and FEIN/entity changes by coordinating the registration of new payroll tax accounts and the inactivation of existing accounts, ensuring proper reporting of changes for compliance purposes
• Notice Resolution: Resolve payroll tax notices by taking appropriate action, including opening cases within the HCM system, filing $0 or previously prepared returns, researching issues, preparing agency responses, securing abatements, coordinating payments or amendments, and providing timely, effective client updates.
• Audits & Reconciliations: Conduct payroll tax audits of state and local payroll tax accounts to validate account numbers, SUI rates, and payment and filing frequencies, ensuring agency records align with the HCM system thus maintaining compliance with payroll tax requirements.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with internal teams to ensure accuracy and deliver excellent client service, while proactively identifying and preventing breakdowns between departments.
• Process & Documentation: Follow standard procedures; organize, update, and maintain client files and trackers; and support the tax team in developing and maintaining team resources.
• Time & Performance Management: Accurately track billable time on a daily basis, maintaining an average annual utilization rate of 85%.

Required Qualifications:

• 4+ years of payroll tax compliance experience (registrations, notice resolution, audits)
• Strong understanding of state, and local payroll tax rules and filing calendars, and stays current as regulations change
• Client-facing experience with HR and executive leadership.
• Proven ability to manage multiple client accounts and competing deadlines with strong organizational skills, collaboration efforts, and critical thinking.
• Experience with one or more payroll platforms (ADP, UKG, Paylocity, Dayforce etc.) and with state payroll tax agency portals
• Basic to Intermediate Excel Skills (pivots, v-lookups)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a multi-client services environment.
• Experience with ticketing/shared inbox tools and queue management.

Core Competencies:

• Client Communication & Presence: Leads client updates and translates tax into business terms.
• Ownership & Accountability (BRAVE): Takes responsibility for portfolio outcomes; escalates risks early.
• Agility & Change Management: Adapts quickly to regulatory, system, or client changes.

• Value Creation (BRAVE): Goes beyond compliance to deliver measurable client impact (e.g., abatements, process improvements).
• Excellence in Service (BRAVE): Consistently professional, proactive, and trusted by clients.

Compensation & Benefits:

The hourly range for this position is $36.06 - $39.42. This range is based on relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and market data, and represents our good faith estimate at the time of posting. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, and life), voluntary benefits, pet insurance, retirement plan, and PTO.

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

HCM Unlocked is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination of any kind. We value and respect the unique differences of our employees, recognizing that diversity fosters innovation, drives curiosity, and contributes to the overall success of our organization.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws or regulations.
HCM Unlocked is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities to ensure equal access to employment opportunities.

HCM Unlocked participates in the E-Verify Employment Verification Program.