Payroll Consultant - Client Accounting Services (CAS)

We are adding a new role to our Client Accounting Services team!

Our growing consulting practice is looking for a payroll expert to advise clients with complex payroll challenges. This is not a payroll processing position—the client's team handles that. Instead, your role will be to leverage your deep payroll knowledge and research skills to provide strategic guidance. If you enjoy research, excel at service, and geek out on all things payroll, this could be the perfect role for you!

Who’s a Good Fit?

You could be perfect for this role if you’ve provided payroll consulting to a variety of small to midsize companies across multiple industries with particular focus on navigating wage and hour laws, employment law, and payroll compliance in Oregon and Washington. We’re looking for someone who is skilled in researching payroll legislation changes and advising on compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. You must be comfortable using and learning multiple technology platforms including various payroll software like Gusto, Paychex, ADP, and/or Paylocity. Advanced level experience with QuickBooks Online is essential. It would be icing on the cake if you are a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP). This mix of qualifications is typically achieved with a bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least five years of payroll experience, although other career paths can also lead to success in this role.

Beyond the technical, you’ll need to be collaborative, adaptable, an excellent communicator, and committed to delivering high-quality client service. While maintaining the highest ethical standards, you should also be comfortable explaining the ever-changing compliance landscape and offering guidance without being overly rigid.

Candidates without consulting experience may be considered if they have strong technical experience gained through work in an internal payroll department at a midsize to large company that provides a full range of benefits, employee reimbursements, understands the ways in which owner compensation can vary depending on the entity type and has handled multi-state payroll requirements of at least 50 employees in various locations across the country. If this applies to you, please ensure that your resume provides these details.

What Would You be Doing?

You’re going to be THE payroll expert on our team, and you’ll handle some light bookkeeping tasks. In the beginning, the workload will be roughly 60% payroll and 40% bookkeeping, eventually shifting to 80% payroll and 20% bookkeeping as the practice grows. Bookkeeping responsibilities will include issuing 1099s and reviewing W-2’s for accuracy , reconciling bank and credit card statements, analyzing client accounts, and making journal entries.

Your days will involve heavy client communication—answering questions, addressing problems, helping them improve their payroll processes and procedures and on accurate payroll documentation practices. You’ll also provide payroll software support, which includes onboarding new clients, training, and troubleshooting technical issues. You’re going to stay on top of changes to payroll legislation and advise clients on compliance. You may be asked to assist a client with responding to a payroll tax notice or fixing a prior period payroll tax filing.

What’s in it for You?

You can hold your head up high when you’re part of the team at Perkins & Co! We are not your stereotypical public accounting firm. Per Portland Business Journal, we’re the Most Admired and the third most diverse accounting firm in Portland. You’ll work with a damn good group of professionals who are smart and creative and love rolling up their sleeves to help clients achieve their full potential. We’ve created and thrive in a culture of respect, support, and being refreshingly easygoing. We work hard here, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously, so we have fun in the process.

This is an opportunity to help build an emerging practice area. Your days will be varied as you support multiple entities with employee counts ranging from 1 to 500, ensuring each day brings new challenges and keeps the work interesting. You’ll have plenty of support for growth, too.

Of course, all the warm fuzzies are meaningless if you can’t pay your bills, right? This is a salaried, non-exempt position with salary range of $79K - $85K annually. Compensation may be adjusted for those who live in areas with a higher cost of labor than Portland, OR. While overtime might be needed at times, this is mostly a Monday – Friday, 40 hour week role.

Perkins provides competitive benefits including 401(k) with immediate vesting of employer contributions, Perkins Paid Leave for a variety of medical and family needs, 14.5 paid holidays, and 4 weeks of PTO. Explore the full list of benefits and perks here: Perkins & Co Employee Benefits | Perkins Accounting.