Senior Payroll Analyst

Western Alliance Bank ‚Ä¢ Phoenix, AZ ‚Ä¢ Full Time

Posted on Tue, Jun 30, 2026

Job Title:

Location:

CityScape

What you'll do:

As a Senior Payroll Analyst, you will be responsible for completing all the tasks involved in the timely and accurate delivery of payroll in a multi-state environment. Your primary focus will be ensuring that payroll processing meets service level standards, customer service expectations, turnaround timelines, regulatory compliance, audit soundness, and data governance requirements. You will work closely with partners in Human Resources (HRIS Administration, Compensation, and Benefits), as well as Finance (Tax, Accounting, and Financial Reporting), to ensure payroll accuracy and integrity. This role serves all employees and must be highly responsive and focused on quality service.
A key responsibility of this role is to analyze payroll data, validate system outputs, and identify discrepancies to ensure accurate gross-to-net calculations. You will also contribute to the enhancement of payroll processes, controls, and reporting capabilities to improve efficiency and mitigate risk.

Administer the end-to-end payroll processing cycle, including validation of input data, review of payroll calculations, and reconciliation of payroll results prior to transmission
Analyze payroll data for accuracy, including earnings, deductions, tax withholdings, and net pay calculations
Respond to payroll-related inquiries and assist in resolving issues in a timely and accurate manner
Perform variance analysis and investigate discrepancies between payroll cycles, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions
Identify, escalate, and resolve payroll risks or high-impact issues to ensure payroll accuracy and compliance
Partner with HR, Finance, and other stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate payroll data inputs and outputs
Partner with external payroll vendors and service providers to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing and service delivery
Support vendor issue resolution and ongoing service delivery oversight, including adherence to service level agreements (SLAs)
Assist in maintaining payroll records and documentation to support audit, regulatory, and internal control requirements
Ensure confidentiality and security of employee payroll data in alignment with company policies and regulatory requirements
Generate and analyze standard and ad-hoc payroll reports for management, audit, and regulatory purposes
Support payroll tax jurisdiction set up and compliance activities, including research of federal, state, and local payroll regulations
Administer and validate garnishments, levies, and other required withholdings
Support the payroll manager in SOX control execution, documentation, and testing activities to ensure compliance with internal controls
Partner with the payroll manager to identify opportunities for process improvements, automation, and system enhancements to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort
Contribute to continuous improvement efforts focused on payroll accuracy, cycle time reduction, error mitigation, and SLA adherence
Support the payroll manager in system testing, updates, and enhancements, including Workday payroll functionality and integrations
Review and update Workday knowledgebase articles to reduce high-volume ticket drivers and improve employee self-service
Participate in payroll-related projects, including system implementations, upgrades, and regulatory changes
Support change management activities and communications related to payroll updates and process changes
Support year-end payroll activities, including reconciliation and preparation of W-2 processing
Support all areas within Total Rewards including Benefits, Compensation, and Incentives as needed

What you'll need:

5+ years of payroll, accounting, finance, or related analytical experience
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field required
Intermediate knowledge of payroll concepts, including multi-state tax regulations and compliance requirements
Experience working in a regulated environment with strong understanding of controls and audit requirements
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
Prior experience with Workday Payroll strongly preferred
Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, formulas, data analysis)
Experience with payroll reporting tools or HRIS systems
Knowledge of SOX controls and audit processes
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification preferred
Strong interpersonal and partnering skills to collaborate across HR, Finance, and business units
Ability to take initiative, manage multiple priorities, and meet established deadlines
Effective written and verbal communication skills

Benefits you’ll love:
We offer all the important things you'd want — like competitive salaries, an ownership stake in the company, medical and dental insurance, time off, a great 401k matching program, tuition assistance program, an employee volunteer program, and a wellness program. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to bolster your business knowledge, learning the ins and outs of how successful companies operate and manage their finances, giving you invaluable hands-on experience to help grow your career!

About the company:

Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Alliance Bancorporation. Serving clients nationwide, Western Alliance Bank includes six legacy bank brands — Alliance Association Bank, Alliance Bank of Arizona, Bank of Nevada, Bridge Bank, First Independent Bank and Torrey Pines Bank — that remain part of the company’s heritage, as well as AmeriHome Mortgage, a Western Alliance Bank Company.

Western Alliance Bancorporation is committed to equal employment and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, color, religion, age, nation origin, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information. Western Alliance Bancorporation is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process and/or need an alternative method of applying, please email HR@westernalliancebank.com or call 602-386-2488. When contacting us, please provide your contact information and state the nature of your accessibility issue. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests that involve a reasonable accommodation in the application process.

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