Employee Experience & Payroll Tax Compliance Manager

Description

Leidos' Corporate Payroll team is seeking a dynamic, experienced, and highly organized Employee Experience & Payroll Tax Compliance Manager to lead our payroll tax operations while championing employee support and engagement. This role is a hybrid leadership position that combines deep expertise in payroll tax and regulatory compliance with a strong focus on managing employee experience related to payroll, onboarding, and issue resolution.

The ideal candidate must have a solid background in multi-state payroll, strong knowledge of payroll tax and compliance regulations, and proven leadership experience managing teams. This individual will play a key role in ensuring that our payroll processes are compliant, our employees are supported, and our internal systems run smoothly. This position reports directly to the Director of Payroll and works closely with the HR, Finance, and Operations teams.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Tax & Compliance Oversight

• Lead all federal, state, and local payroll tax compliance processes
• Ensure timely and accurate tax filings, amendments, and reconciliations
• Monitor and implement changes in tax regulations across jurisdictions
• Oversee year-end processing including W-2, W-2c, and statutory reporting
• Manage tax audits, correspondence with government agencies, and penalty resolution

• Own and improve the employee experience for all payroll-related interactions
• Oversee escalated payroll issues, paycheck discrepancies, and tax inquiries with accuracy and empathy
• Partner with HR, Benefits, and Finance to ensure smooth onboarding, offboarding, and life event support
• Build communication tools and FAQs to help employees understand their pay, deductions, and taxes

• Monitor and analyze service performance metrics, including call answer times, email response times, and SNOW case resolution targets
• Identify trends and root causes impacting service performance and implement targeted improvements.

• Supervise and develop team members responsible for payroll tax, compliance, and employee support
• Assign priorities and ensure timely resolution of payroll issues
• Lead regular process reviews and drive continuous improvement across functions
• Act as a point of escalation for payroll disputes and ensure proper documentation and follow-up

• Bachelor's degree and 7+ years of payroll experience, including multi-state / multi-entity payroll tax and compliance. Additional years of relevant payroll experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
• 3+ years of direct team management experience with documented leadership results
• Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax laws and regulations
• Experience with year-end processing, W-2 filings, and government audit management
• Strong understanding of payroll systems (e.g., UKG, Workday, Costpoint, or similar platforms)
• Exceptional problem-solving, communication, and employee relations skills
• CPP certification preferred but not required
• High emotional intelligence and employee-first mindset
• Analytical and detail-oriented with a commitment to accuracy
• Confident communicator with the ability to translate complex payroll topics into understandable language
• Strong project management and process improvement skills
• Able to thrive in fast-paced, high-accountability environments
• US citizenship is required and able to obtain security clearance as needed