Assoc Mgr Tax Research

Job Description Why UKG At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That's what we do. We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you'll get flexibility that's real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work mattersand so do you. Job Summary The Associate Manager Tax Research supports UKG's Payment Services Tax Research Team in ensuring timely and accurate compliance with employer payroll tax obligations across all U.S. jurisdictions. This role oversees tax notice resolution, state and local agency relations, and compliance research related to State Unemployment Insurance (SUI), State Income Tax (SIT), and Local Tax. The Associate Manager provides leadership to a team of tax research analysts. He acts as a subject-matter expert in payroll tax regulations, helping maintain UKG's reputation for accuracy and agency compliance. Primary Responsibilities - Lead and coach a team of tax research analysts responsible for resolving state and local employer tax notices. - Review escalated cases for accuracy, ensuring resolutions align with federal, state, and local tax laws. - Conduct advanced research and interpretation of complex tax regulations, notices, and policy updates. - Serve as the primary liaison with state workforce agencies, departments of revenue, and local taxing authorities to resolve client account discrepancies, filing rejections, and late payment issues. - Manage communication with agencies to clarify procedural changes, rate updates, and filing deadlines. - Oversee analysis of tax notices, including those triggered by: - Late or missing filings and payments. - Incorrect or outdated SUI rates. - Wage base or deposit threshold miscalculations. - Client account mismatches or profile errors. - ACH payment failures or delayed postings. - Monitor and ensure resolution of SUI, SIT, and Local Tax notices within defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs). - Identify root causes of recurring notices and collaborate with Tax Filing, Payments, and Product teams to implement corrective actions. - Review and approve agency correspondence and waiver requests for penalties or interest. - Maintain detailed knowledge of agency-specific filing frequencies, payment methods, and registration requirements. - Audit team documentation and ensure consistent compliance with internal policies, SOX controls, and audit standards. - Analyze data to identify emerging agency trends, process gaps, and training needs. - Generate and present notice resolution metrics, root cause analyses, and operational performance reports. - Partner cross-functionally with UKG teams to enhance client satisfaction, system accuracy, and compliance automation. Qualifications Education - Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, or Business Administration required. - Advanced degree or FPC certification preferred. Experience - 8+ years of experience in U.S. payroll tax research, compliance, or employer tax notice resolution, with a minimum of 3+ years of experience in HCM, US Payroll Taxes and Compliance. - A Minimum of 5 years of leadership or supervisory experience in a tax, compliance, or payroll operations role, with a minimum team size handling experience of 10-15. - Strong knowledge of State Unemployment Insurance (SUI), State Income Tax (SIT), and Local Tax laws and processes. - Experience interacting with state and local agencies such as the Departments of Revenue, Labor, and Workforce Development. - Familiarity with agency portals (e.g., SIDES, TAP, MyTax Illinois, Uplink, etc.) and tax filing platforms. Skills - Excellent research, analytical, and critical-thinking skills. - Excellent Stakeholder Management Skills - Strong communication skills to manage professional correspondence with agencies and clients. - High attention to detail with proven accuracy in data review and tax analysis. - Strong knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, and internal workflow/case management tools. - Ability to work in a fast-paced, compliance-driven environment and manage multiple priorities. Preferred Qualifications - Experience with UKG systems or similar payroll/tax platforms. - Knowledge of root-cause analysis and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma). - Proven success in managing complex multi-state and local tax compliance issues. - Ability to lead and develop teams through training, coaching, and performance management. Key Competencies - Technical Expertise: Deep understanding of payroll tax laws and employer compliance. - Leadership: Ability to guide teams and deliver on performance metrics. - Agency Relations: Builds strong, collaborative relationships with state and local tax authorities. - Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves systemic issues driving recurring tax notices. - Process Excellence: Improves compliance workflows and ensures data integrity. Company Overview UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform that puts workforce understanding to work. With the world's largest collection of workforce insights, and people-first AI, our ability to reveal unseen ways to build trust, amplify productivity, and empower talent, is unmatched. It's this expertise that equips our customers with the intelligence to solve any challenge in any industry because great organizations know their workforce is their competitive edge. Learn more at ukg.com. UKG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including the recruitment process. Disability Accommodation in the Application and Interview Process For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the application and interview process, please email [Confidential Information]