Senior Payroll Associate & Tax Specialist

General Summary

The Payroll Tax Specialist ensures accurate and timely tax compliance across all 50 states and multiple local jurisdictions. While UKG processes remittances, ultimate responsibility — and liability — rests with us. This role also manages compliance surveys (BLS, Census, EEOC, etc.) and strengthens SOX controls.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for end-to-end payroll processing.
• Ensure accurate and timely filing of federal, state, and local payroll taxes across all 50 states and applicable local jurisdictions.
• Validate and reconcile payroll tax deposits and filings prepared through UKG (or other third-party systems).
• Maintain compliance with ever-changing tax regulations, rates, and wage limits.
• Perform periodic reconciliations of payroll tax accounts to general ledger and agency records.
• Research and resolve discrepancies promptly to avoid penalties.
• Prepare documentation and provide support for SOX, internal, and external audits.
• Act as the primary point of contact for federal, state, and local tax agencies.
• Respond to and resolve tax notices, inquiries, and discrepancies.
• Coordinate penalty abatement requests when necessary.
• Complete mandatory compliance surveys such as Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Census, and other government requests.
• Support EEOC and ACA reporting as required.
• Manage annual reconciliation and filing of W-2s, W-2Cs, and 1099s.
• Ensure year-end deadlines are met without errors.

Knowledge, Experience and Skill Requirements

• Knowledge of payroll processes including data entry, pay calculations, tax and benefits, geographical location taxation rules, wage, and hour laws, etc. preferred. Third-party payroll vendor and HRIS system experience desired.
• Ability to evaluate and communicates unusual and/or complex content in a concise and logical way.
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Advanced organizational skills with an inquisitive mindset.
• Ability to use query and report generation tools.
• Union payroll/Health, Welfare and Pension knowledge

Work Experience

• 4 years of experience related to payroll processing, auditing

Education, Licenses and Certification Required:

• High School Diploma

Preferred:

Certification of FPC or CPP

CBRE Government and Defense Business is thrilled at the opportunity for you to apply to one of our roles. The base salary range for this position is $100,000 - $110,000 This position may also be eligible for a wide range of competitive benefits that can include but not limited to: medical, well-being, financial planning and short-term incentives benefits. 

This description is not intended to be an “all inclusive” list of the accountabilities of the job described. Rather, it describes the general nature of the job. In addition, some aspects of this job may change over time, according to business needs, and these changes may not be recorded immediately. Requirements stated represent the minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities to qualify and satisfactorily perform this job.

Due to compliance requirements imposed by a federal contract, this position may be filled by U.S. Persons only. U.S. Persons includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, individuals granted refugee status in the U.S., and individuals granted asylum in the U.S.   

We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS CREATING A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT BETWEEN CBRE AND ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES OR OTHERWISE ALTERING AN EMPLOYEE’S AT WILL EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP WITH CBRE.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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