Position Summary
The Payroll & Benefits Administrator is responsible for the accurate and timely administration of payroll, benefits, pension, employee records, and time and attendance activities. The role supports bi-weekly payroll processing, maintains employee information, processes benefit and pension changes, and responds to employee and manager inquiries. Working closely with the Senior Payroll Administrator and Payroll Manager, the position is cross-trained to provide backup support with reconciliations, reporting, special payments, and other payroll activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Set up employees and maintain banking, job, department, property, pay-rate, deduction, and benefit information in Dayforce.
- Process transfers, status and pay changes, leaves, terminations, and Records of Employment.
- Enter recurring and one-time earnings and deductions and complete assigned bi-weekly payroll activities.
- Review timesheets, approvals, payroll exceptions, payroll registers, and employee net pay for accuracy.
- Monitor vacation, sick leave, accrual balances, time-entry completion, and manager approvals.
- Process benefit enrolments, changes, terminations, dependent information, and payroll deductions.
- Administer benefits for employees on leave and retirees, including applicable charges and payment tracking.
- Reconcile benefit carrier invoices and payroll deductions and investigate discrepancies.
- Process pension enrolments and member changes and support contribution reporting and reconciliation.
- Monitor the ticketing system and respond to employee and manager questions about pay, deductions, benefits, and time entry.
- Process approved bonuses, corrections, off-cycle payments, severance payments, and other special payments.
- Support payroll accounting, general ledger processing, property allocations, statutory reporting, and audit requests.
- Maintain organized payroll, benefits, pension, and reconciliation documentation and follow established controls, privacy standards, and record-retention practices.
- Participate in system testing, procedure updates, cross-training, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Provide backup support for payroll analysis, reconciliations, compliance reporting, and audit preparation when trained and authorized.
Shared Coverage and Collaboration
- Maintain current process documentation and cross-training.
- Provide backup coverage during absences, peak periods, payroll deadlines, and system changes.
- Work collaboratively to resolve payroll, benefits, and pension issues.
- Escalate complex, sensitive, or material matters to the Payroll Manager.
- Maintain confidentiality and protect employee information.
- Support accurate, timely, compliant, and service-focused payroll delivery.
Qualifications
- Post-secondary education in payroll, accounting, business administration, human resources, or a related field.
- Payroll Compliance Professional designation, or progress toward the designation, is preferred.
- Experience in Canadian payroll, benefits administration, accounting administration, or a related function.
- Working knowledge of payroll earnings, deductions, taxable benefits, statutory deductions, and employment standards.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications.
- Experience with Dayforce or a comparable payroll system is preferred.
Key Competencies
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Payroll and benefits administration
- Organization and time management
- Customer service and professional communication
- Confidentiality and discretion
- Problem solving and issue triage
- Ability to follow established controls and meet recurring deadlines
- Dependability, collaboration, and willingness to cross-train
