Payroll Manager - Canada

Job Overview

The Payroll Manager – Canada is responsible for day-to-day operations, oversight and governance of the Canadian payroll and employment tax portfolio within the Global PACE (Payroll, Automation, Customer Experience) organization.  This role is also responsible for leading and fostering proactive collaboration with customers and key internal and external business partners and stakeholders while driving operational excellence throughout the service delivery model. The leader for this role must demonstrate and have a proven track record for pre and post payroll audits and reviews that lead to accurate and compliant payroll operations while delivering outstanding customer service.  Strong background with and working knowledge of Canadian payroll regulations, labor and employment tax regulations, Federal and Provincial Tax legislations, and applicable end-to-end activities encompassing payroll operations.

Must be able to work through ambiguity, be self-motivated with the ability to piece together facts and data necessary in order to identify issues, propose solutions, make decisions and operationalize necessary change to improve operations and service delivery.  This leader must have a strong end-to-end mindset and understanding for all payroll operations, including the up and down stream impacts to payroll and employment tax operations.  A focus on continuous process improvement, through SOPs, systems, integrations, RPA, etc., is key to ensuring our Canadian payroll operations remain cutting edge while our service delivery continues to delight our customer.

To be successful in this role, the Payroll Manager – Canada must to be a subject matter expert on wage and hour laws, payroll processing and associated compliance/regulations, Federal and Provincial Tax legislation and regulations, with the ability to handle a large, complex payroll operation timely and accurately.  This individual must be an independent thinker with the ability to work with little day-to-day direction, while providing leadership, guidance, and oversight to payroll staff and internal partners regarding payroll, employment tax actions, policies, and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Organize and lead staff ensuring a fully efficient payroll operation
• Verify and maintain compliance with government payroll/tax requirements
• Keep abreast of current and changing payroll and employment tax laws
• Must have a broad and deep understanding of Canadian taxation, reporting, year-end activities, including provincial regulations and requirements
• Deep understanding of Canadian statutory vacation requirements
• Review and audit current processes to ensure compliance, while recommending and implementing changes where needed
• Lead the daily/monthly/quarterly wage reconciliations and tax filing requirements, including year-end reporting, T4s, T2200’s and amendments
• Research, determine root cause, and resolve incoming tax notices from various agencies
• Lead and perform audits of payroll and employment tax data prior to payroll completion while following all established controls
• Complete post payroll audits and reporting, prepare metrics and track errors using technology and reporting tools
• Lead the internal or external audits and review of records, worker’s compensation, tax filings, SOX, and other related documentation
• Evaluate federal and provincial tax treatment of employee fringe benefits, executive compensation and related impacts
• Must have a general understanding and knowledge of payroll accounting while working closely with various organizational partners to ensure accurate GL & tax reporting
• Respond to complex payroll related inquiries from employees and/or key stakeholders
• Research and produce complex reports which may require in depth analysis
• Lead work and provide direction for transitions in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures
• Ability to work through payroll platform changes and implementations, various integrations, and related activities
• Communicate effectively with various levels of management to ensure high level of customer support and positive customer interactions
• Ensuring department’s ability to meet all company deadlines and annual performance goals
• Develop, maintain and improve payroll processes, employment tax processes, and internal controls to preserve the quality, efficiency and overall effectiveness of all payroll functions while ensuring regulatory compliance
• Manage vendors and system providers including compliance with service level agreements
• Responsible for tracking and testing of legislative/regulatory changes, application enhancements, and system modifications
• Support execution of SOX controls as well as internal, external audits
• Manage, coach and develop team members
• Conduct ongoing training for payroll staff to ensure productivity and knowledge of overall processes are maintained and improved

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• PCP certification preferred
• 7+ years of experience in payroll related operations, with a minimum of 5 years of payroll and employment tax experience in a large, complex organization
• Apply documented rules, past practices, or instructions on an independent level
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile environment
• Ability to process and connect information in times of ambiguity
• Demonstrated ability to hold confidential information with excellent judgment
• Solid understanding of payroll operations, payroll tax, associated principles and compliance requirements
• Ability to manage time, prioritize deliverables, multi-task and work under pressure in a dynamic work environment
• Exceptional organizational, analytical, research and problem-solving skills
• Intermediate to advanced analytical skillset, including the use of Excel, Alteryx and/or other tools
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated working knowledge of employer benefits and treatment in payroll, to include RRSP
• Prior payroll implementation experience, including E2E integrations
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment
• Experience with Workday HCM and ADP (GlobalView payroll) systems highly preferred