Payroll Specialist

Position Summary

Right Time Group of Companies is seeking a detail-oriented and experienced Payroll & Benefits Specialist to support the accurate and timely administration of payroll, employee benefits and retirement savings programs across our Canadian operations.

Reporting to the Manager, Payroll & Benefits, the successful candidate will be responsible for processing multi-provincial payrolls for unionized and non-unionized employees, supporting benefits and RRSP administration, completing payroll reconciliations and audits, and assisting with year-end payroll activities and statutory reporting.

The role requires a strong understanding of Canadian payroll legislation, exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities within a deadline-driven environment.

As a key member of the Payroll & Benefits team, the Specialist will also serve as a resource to employees, managers and HR colleagues, responding to payroll and benefits inquiries, resolving discrepancies and supporting continuous improvement in payroll and benefits administration.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration & Processing

• Process accurate and timely bi-weekly payrolls for employees across multiple Canadian provinces, including salaried, hourly, commissioned, unionized and non-unionized employees.
• Administer payroll in accordance with applicable federal and provincial legislation, collective agreements, employment contracts and company policies.
• Review and validate payroll inputs, including new hires, terminations, salary changes, bonuses, commissions, overtime, allowances, retroactive adjustments and other compensation changes.
• Review and reconcile employee time and attendance information, earnings, deductions and other payroll transactions to ensure accuracy.
• Conduct pre-payroll and post-payroll audits, identify discrepancies and coordinate corrections before payroll finalization.
• Process statutory and voluntary deductions, including income taxes, CPP, EI, union dues, benefit premiums, RRSP contributions, garnishments and other authorized deductions.
• Prepare and submit Records of Employment (ROEs), ensuring accuracy and compliance with Service Canada requirements.
• Process termination-related payments, including vacation payouts, statutory entitlements and other approved termination payments.
• Respond to employee and management inquiries regarding payroll calculations, deductions, tax treatment and payment discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation in accordance with legislative requirements and company policies.

Benefits Administration

• Support the administration of the Company's group benefits programs, including extended health care, dental, vision, life insurance and other applicable benefits.
• Monitor employee benefits enrolments, changes and terminations processed through Dayforce to ensure accurate and timely transmission of information to benefits providers.
• Conduct regular audits of benefits eligibility, employee coverage, enrolment information and payroll deductions.
• Reconcile benefits premiums, payroll deductions and provider invoices, identifying and resolving discrepancies.
• Investigate and resolve benefits-related issues, including coverage discrepancies, missed deductions, eligibility concerns and employee inquiries.
• Coordinate with benefits providers, HR and Payroll to resolve outstanding administrative issues.
• Support benefits administration during employee leaves of absence, changes in employment status and terminations.
• Assist with annual benefits renewal activities, employee communications and implementation of approved plan changes.
• Maintain accurate benefits records and support compliance with applicable plan provisions and company policies.

RRSP Administration

• Administer employee participation in the Company's group RRSP program, including enrolments, contribution changes and terminations.
• Coordinate employee onboarding and offboarding within the RRSP program, ensuring accurate and timely updates with the plan provider.
• Review and reconcile employee and employer RRSP contributions against payroll deductions and provider records.
• Investigate and resolve contribution discrepancies, missed deductions and other RRSP-related issues.
• Respond to employee inquiries regarding RRSP eligibility, enrolment, contribution changes and employer matching provisions.
• Maintain accurate records and support the administration of the program in accordance with company policies and plan requirements.

Year-End Payroll & Statutory Reporting

• Support the preparation, validation and reconciliation of year-end payroll information, including T4 slips and T4 summaries.
• Review year-end taxable earnings, statutory deductions, taxable benefits, pension adjustments where applicable, and other required reporting information.
• Reconcile annual payroll registers, statutory remittances and payroll reports to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Assist with year-end adjustments, including taxable benefits, outstanding payroll corrections and other required adjustments.
• Support the preparation and distribution of employee tax slips within prescribed deadlines.
• Assist with year-end reporting requirements across applicable Canadian jurisdictions.
• Support annual payroll system updates, including tax tables, statutory deduction rates, contribution limits and other legislated changes.
• Investigate and resolve year-end discrepancies, including employee inquiries regarding tax slips.
• Support payroll reporting and documentation required for internal audits, external audits and regulatory reviews.

Payroll Reconciliations, Reporting & Compliance

• Perform regular reconciliations of payroll earnings, deductions, benefits premiums, RRSP contributions and statutory remittances.
• Review payroll-related general ledger reports and assist Finance in identifying and resolving reconciliation discrepancies.
• Prepare payroll and benefits reports as required for Finance, HR and management.
• Monitor payroll transactions for compliance with applicable employment standards, taxation requirements, collective agreements and company policies.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and audit trails to support payroll accuracy, compliance and internal controls.
• Assist with government inquiries, payroll audits and other compliance-related requests.
• Identify recurring payroll and benefits issues and recommend corrective actions.

Systems Administration & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate employee payroll and benefits information within Dayforce.
• Monitor system-generated transactions and interfaces to ensure accurate processing of payroll and benefits information.
• Investigate system-related discrepancies and coordinate with HR, IT, Dayforce support and external providers as required.
• Participate in system testing, upgrades, configuration changes and process improvements.
• Maintain and update payroll and benefits procedures, documentation and process guides.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, strengthen controls, reduce manual administration and enhance the employee experience.
• Support special projects and other payroll and benefits initiatives as required.

Employee Support & Confidentiality

• Provide timely, professional and accurate responses to employee inquiries regarding payroll, benefits and RRSP programs.
• Work collaboratively with HR, Finance, branch leadership and external providers to resolve issues.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee personal information, compensation records, benefits information and other sensitive data.
• Deliver a high standard of internal customer service while balancing accuracy, compliance and operational deadlines.

Professional Experience & Qualifications

• Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) designation required, or substantially completed with a commitment to obtaining certification.
• Minimum 3 years of experience processing full-cycle Canadian payroll, preferably in a multi-provincial environment
• Experience processing payroll for both unionized and non-unionized employees, including the application of collective agreements.
• Experience with Dayforce strongly preferred.
• Previous experience administering employee benefits and group RRSP programs is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, statutory deductions, employment standards and year-end reporting requirements.
• Experience preparing or supporting T4 processing, payroll reconciliations and statutory reporting.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to analyze and reconcile payroll data.
• Excellent attention to detail, analytical skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong customer service orientation and the ability to communicate effectively with employees and leaders at all levels.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a broader team.
• High degree of discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive employee information.
• Demonstrated commitment to process improvement, accuracy and operational excellence.