Accountant I – Payroll Tax Compliance

Job Description

Accountant I | USC Auxiliary Services

The Tone:
This is an Accountant I role at USC Auxiliary Services, specifically with USC Payroll Services, located in a hybrid capacity in Los Angeles, CA. USC Payroll Services plays a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy, timeliness, and compliance of payroll tax activities for USC’s diverse employee population. This position is vital for maintaining adherence to federal, state, and local requirements, and contributes to the team’s ongoing exploration of emerging technologies to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Hybrid Los Angeles, CA
• Pay: $33.00–$38.51 hourly
• Team: Payroll Tax Compliance team
• Mission: Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll tax activities for USC’s diverse employee population.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Excel, AI-enabled tools, automation solutions, automated systems, accounting applications

What You’ll Actually Do
• Support: Support payroll tax and accounting compliance activities for USC’s diverse employee population.
• Review: Review and verify accounting and payroll tax records and transactions for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate documentation.
• Reconcile: Reconcile accounts, research discrepancies, prepare adjustments, and maintain documentation for audit purposes.
• Innovate: Participate in the evaluation, user testing, and implementation of emerging technologies, including AI tools, to improve process efficiency and effectiveness.
• Resolve: Research and resolve payroll tax and accounting issues while providing timely and professional customer service to employees and university partners.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree and knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, including fund accounting.
• Experience: 1 year of work experience.
• Skills: Demonstrated adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies, systems, processes, and regulatory requirements; interest in learning and applying emerging technologies, including AI and automation tools; detail-oriented approach to data accuracy and integrity.
• Bonus: Experience with payroll, payroll tax, tax compliance, or related financial functions; strong Microsoft Excel skills including formulas, functions, pivot tables, and lookups; experience providing customer service in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment; knowledge of university financial systems and accounting applications.