US Payroll Specialist

SoCo Tax & Cloud Accounting, Inc. is a U.S.-based accounting firm looking for an experienced U.S. Payroll Specialist in the Philippines to take ownership of payroll support for a portfolio of U.S. clients.

This is a part-time, hourly position with daily availability required. We are looking for someone who already understands U.S. payroll, communicates extremely well with U.S. clients, and can independently solve payroll problems.

Our primary payroll platform is Gusto, followed by Justworks, Rippling, and QuickBooks Online Payroll.
What You'll Do
You will be the primary point of contact for payroll matters for your assigned clients.

Your responsibilities will include:
- Process recurring U.S. client payrolls accurately and on time.
- Process off-cycle payrolls, bonuses, commissions provided by clients, and reimbursements.
- Handle employee terminations as a same-day priority when required.
- Set up new employees and maintain employee payroll information.
- Process pay changes, deductions, garnishments, direct-deposit changes, and other employee changes.
- Troubleshoot payroll errors and software problems.
- Contact Gusto, Justworks, Rippling, QuickBooks, or other providers to resolve problems when necessary.
- Answer client payroll questions by email and occasionally by telephone.
- Help self-service payroll clients understand how to make changes, process transactions, pull reports, and solve problems.
- Coordinate payroll general-ledger integrations with our accounting team.
- Respond to unemployment inquiries.
- Provide payroll information for workers' compensation audits.
- Complete our standardized payroll workpapers.
- Maintain all recurring payroll tasks and deadlines in our project-management system.

Most importantly, you will own your payroll responsibilities from beginning to end.

If a problem occurs, we expect you to investigate it and work toward a solution. If information is missing, you follow up. If support needs to be contacted, you contact them. If a deadline is approaching, you make sure the work gets completed.

We don't want our management team reminding someone that payroll needs to be processed.

Platforms We Use

Our current payroll platforms, in order of usage, are:
1. Gusto
2. Justworks
3. Rippling
4. QuickBooks Online Payroll

Gusto experience is strongly preferred.

You do NOT need to already be an expert in every platform.

Strong U.S. payroll experience and the ability to learn new technology are more important. We are particularly interested in developing greater expertise in Rippling and are willing to pay for appropriate training for the right employee.

Who We're Looking For

You should have:
- At least 2 years of hands-on U.S. payroll experience preferred.
- Experience actually processing payroll—not simply reviewing payroll reports.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong organizational skills.
- The ability to manage deadlines without being reminded.
- Strong problem-solving and research skills.
- Confidence learning new software.
- Experience communicating directly with U.S. clients.
- A reliable computer, internet connection, and professional remote-work environment.

Excellent English Is Essential
This is a client-facing position.

Your written English must be excellent, and you must speak clear, professional English on the telephone.

You will communicate directly with our clients and may need to call U.S. payroll software companies to resolve problems.

Schedule
• This is a part-time, hourly position, but daily availability is important.
• We don't expect you to sit at your computer for eight hours waiting for payroll requests. However, payroll can be unpredictable.
• You must normally be available during approximately 6:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. California time and have the ability to respond later in the California business day when an urgent payroll matter occurs.
• Employee terminations, payroll corrections, and last-minute changes can require same-day processing. You therefore need the flexibility to handle an urgent request received as late as approximately 12:00 noon California time when necessary.
• This position may work particularly well for an experienced payroll professional looking for a long-term, part-time position or supplemental work, provided your other commitments do not interfere with your availability to SoCo.

About SoCo
• SoCo Tax & Cloud Accounting, Inc. is a U.S.-based accounting and advisory firm serving businesses throughout the United States.
• We have an established team in the Philippines and view our Philippine employees as an important, long-term part of our firm.
• We value people who are dependable, resourceful, professional, and capable of taking ownership of their responsibilities.

How to Apply

Please send us the following:
1. Your résumé.
2. Your desired hourly rate in PHP.
3. The number of hours per week you would ideally like to work.
4. Your current work schedule and any other employment or regular commitments.
5. Which of these platforms you have personally used: Gusto, Justworks, Rippling, and QuickBooks Online Payroll.
6. How many years of U.S. payroll experience you have.
7. A short description of the most difficult U.S. payroll problem you personally had to troubleshoot and how you resolved it.

Please also answer this scenario:
• A U.S. client emails you at 10:30 a.m. California time and tells you that an employee was terminated today and needs a final paycheck processed immediately. You are not currently scheduled to work. What would you do?

Please answer the questions above in your application rather than sending only a résumé.

We are looking for someone who wants to become SoCo's go-to payroll specialist and build a long-term relationship with our firm.