Payroll Tax Specialist (Hybrid)
- Houston, United States
Posted 25 days ago
About the role
Hi, Future Homie!
At Homebase, you’ll join a team that’s bold, fast-moving, and obsessed with helping small businesses thrive. We build with empathy, act with urgency, and take big swings that drive real-world impact. Here, every Homie shows up to raise the bar, support one another, and celebrate wins as a team.
We’re not just building an app—we’re building unstoppable teams. So what do you say, are you in?
Your Impact Starts Here
We're building something new at Homebase: a dedicated Payroll Tax function that sits inside the Payroll Care Team and owns the most technically complex, trust-critical layer of our payroll product.
Right now, when a customer receives a tax notice, there's no in-house expert to triage it, investigate the root cause, or coordinate a resolution with our embedded payroll partners. That gap costs us customers — and it costs small business owners peace of mind they can't afford to lose.
You'll change that. As our first Payroll Tax Specialist, you'll be Homebase's resident payroll tax authority — the person who turns an overwhelming notice queue into a structured, resolved, documented operation. You'll work directly with customers, partner closely with our payroll operations team, and flag patterns that help Product and Engineering build a smarter product. Your work won't just resolve tax notices — you'll uncover the patterns that help us build a smarter payroll product powered by automation and AI.
This is a builder's seat. You'll be defining the playbook as you go — and your work will directly shape how we scale this function.
These are the key ways you’ll contribute and create impact in this role:
Own Tax Notice Resolution — Primary Focus
Serve as the first line of defense on all incoming payroll tax notices: triage, investigate, and deliver clear initial responses to customers that build trust fast.
Cross-reference each notice against the customer's tax profile, payroll history, and filing records to identify root cause before escalating anything.
Coordinate with internal payroll operations partners to drive resolution — and follow through until issues are closed.
Track open notices in the ticketing system, maintain resolution timelines, and identify patterns that point to systemic issues worth escalating to Product.
Request penalty abatements, draft agency correspondence, and manage the documentation trail for each case.
Build scalable documentation, playbooks, and operational standards for Homebase's Payroll Tax function as it grows.
Quarterly and Year-End Proactive Support
Prepare customers for their first filing quarter — walk them through the filing lifecycle, explain draft filings, and resolve blockers (missing IDs, TPA/POA gaps, agency mismatches) before the deadline hits.
Conduct quarterly account hygiene reviews: verify TPA/POA is in place for all active filing states, confirm agency IDs and rates are current, and surface any at-risk accounts before they generate notices.
Monitor for year-end risk factors — owner/shareholder changes, 2% shareholder benefits, compensation adjustments — and surface them proactively.
Support customers through quarter-end variance questions and help reconcile payroll updates with tax filings.
Registration and Compliance Guidance
Serve as an internal SME for customers expanding into new jurisdictions — providing agency-sourced guidance on registration requirements, deadlines, and filing frequencies.
Maintain a running tracker of agency-specific requirements: filing rates, TPA/POA requirements, "Applied For" ID timelines, and agency quirks. Keep it current.
Support compliance calendar maintenance and ensure customers have what they need to meet their obligations — without crossing into advice or completing registrations on their behalf.
Proactive Customer Account Health
Review accounts for early warning signs: blocked accounts, taxes held by the client, outdated rates, unresolved prior-quarter filing failures.
Surface risk to the right owners before a customer feels the impact.
Partner with the broader Payroll Care Team to close the loop on patterns across the portfolio.
The Foundation for Success - These are the experiences and strengths that will set you up for success in this role:
3–5 years of payroll tax experience in a multi-state environment — ideally at a payroll provider or payroll SaaS company
Deep working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll taxes: withholding, FUTA/SUI, quarterly and annual filings, W-2/W-2C corrections, and tax registrations
Hands-on experience managing and resolving tax notices from state and federal agencies — this is the core of the role
Familiarity with TPA/POA processes and agency-specific filing requirements across multiple jurisdictions
Strong written and verbal communication skills — you can translate complex compliance situations into clear, confident updates for small business owners who aren't tax experts
Comfortable working directly with customers in both high-stakes and routine interactions
Organized and methodical — you can carry a queue of open issues across multiple accounts and agencies without things slipping
Demonstrated ability to identify systemic issues and recommend scalable process improvements
Advanced Excel skills; experience with payroll systems and reporting tools
CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) or FPC designation preferred, or meaningful progress toward certification
SQL or scripting experience a plus for report automation
Leverage AI to accelerate investigations, improve documentation quality, draft customer communications, and continuously improve operational workflows.
Identify and build repeatable, AI-enabled workflows and templates that reduce resolution time and scale this function over time.
Measure and share AI-enabled workflow improvements that reduce resolution time or improve customer outcomes.
Approach AI as a force multiplier — not a replacement for deep tax judgment.
The Homie Way - These principles guide everything we do—from how we work and make decisions to how we show up for each other.
Be Customer Obsessed – Solve problems with empathy and creativity.
Move Fast, Learn Fast – Experiment, take action, and grow every day.
Own Your Impact – Think big, focus on what matters, and make decisions you stand behind.
Master Your Craft – Excellence fuels impact—show up, step up, and make your mark.
Win Together – Put goals over roles, lead with trust, and connect to our mission and each other.
What We Offer
Ownership & Financial Security: Stock options + 401(k) with 4% match
Comprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage + FSA options
Paid Time Off: Flexible PTO + company holidays + designated focus periods
AI access, for real: We invest in builders and believe that curiosity shouldn't have a paywall. That means you'll have access to paid AI tools with minimal restrictions, so you can build, experiment, and level up your craft.
Family Support: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave (after 6 months of service)
Protection Plans: Life insurance + short/long-term disability coverage
Work Your Way: Work From Anywhere Month + meeting-free weeks yearly
Workspace Perks: Meals provided, commuter benefits, team offsites, and Customer Days
Our Hybrid Rhythm: We believe collaboration drives impact. That’s why Monday-Thursday are our required in-office days—a time to move faster as a team, build deeper connections, make better decisions, and build together.
What to Expect During the Interview Process
Meet the Talent Acquisition team, Kaitlyn S.
Meet the Hiring Manager, Jess B.
Participate in a Talent Showcase
Meet Cross-functional Partners
Background Check + Offer Stage
Welcome to the team, Homie
Belonging at Homebase - We're committed to fostering a welcoming space where every Homie can be their full self. Experience comes in many forms—so if you're excited about this role, even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply!
Homebase will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
Hey, We’re Homebase
Homebase is the everything app for hourly teams—built to simplify the day-to-day and superpower local businesses. With tools for scheduling, time clocks, payroll, communication, HR, and more, we help teams stay connected and in control. Today, over 150,000 small (but mighty) businesses rely on us to make work radically easier. Together, we’ve tracked over a billion hours for 2M+ workers—and we’re just getting started.
At Homebase, we celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all candidates and do not discriminate based on any legally protected status. If you need accommodations during the hiring process, please let us know—we’re committed to ensuring fair and equitable access for all.