Lead Analyst, Payroll Center of Excellence

The Lead Analyst is a key professional role within the Payroll Center of Excellence (Payroll COE) on the Benefits, Payroll & Mobility Solutions team, intended for an individual with advanced payroll knowledge and strong compliance acumen. The Payroll COE provides governance and compliance oversight for Corporate and Related Entities’ payroll, payroll taxes, benefits, wage and hour regulations, time off, and paid leave. This role closely partners with leaders and stakeholders to consult on programs, initiatives, decisions, and communications, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and internal standards. The ideal candidate demonstrates high attention to detail, strong analytical judgement, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to evaluate risk to drive work forward with minimal oversight. As a Lead Analyst, the candidate will independently lead complex assignments and contribute to cross-functional work that improves accuracy, consistency, and controls that serve staff and the organization well. 

Additional Function-Specific Duties:

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws related to payroll, payroll tax, and benefits across the various employee populations at Chick-fil-A Inc. and its Related Entities 
• Stay abreast of payroll-related legislative and regulatory changes and work cross-functionally to identify relevant teams to make necessary changes to systems, policies, and practices 
• Provide technical input on cross-functional teams including Talent, Compensation, Corporate and Payroll Tax, and Legal functions 
• Collaborate extensively with the HRIS teams on payroll-related issues
• Handle highly confidential and sensitive information in strict accordance with Chick-fil-A, Inc. confidentiality and data security policies

• Serve as liaison with internal tax team to ensure tax and unemployment registrations are completed for states and localities for all entities 
• Track and update local withholding and SUI rates in Workday 
• Document and maintain detailed written processes and procedures for all payroll desktop and control procedures 
• Provide research to direct formalization of processes and policies, decision guides, and escalation protocols 
• Serve as a resource for staff members, exhibiting ability to concisely articulate complex information 
• Identify areas of payroll compliance that can be enhanced through internal controls, audits, and reporting
• Engage in development activities including department and team meetings, conferences, seminars, and interdepartmental engagement 

• Proven experience in payroll or accounting
• Demonstrates knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations, compliance, and reporting
• Current knowledge of payroll procedures and related laws
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly in Excel and PowerPoint
• Extreme attention to detail, strong organization, and process improvement skills
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written, including tact and diplomacy 

• Certified Public Accountant
• Certified Payroll Professional or Fundamental Payroll Certification
• Excellent understanding of multi-location payroll and taxes
• Experience in internal controls, auditing, and reporting related to payroll compliance 
• Experience with Workday Payroll processing and configuration