Location: Mississauga, ON
Vacancy Status: Vacant position
THE OPPORTUNITY:Reporting to the VP, Controller, the Payroll Manager will lead and oversee all aspects of the Canadian payroll function for approximately 2,100 employees across multiple provinces and business units. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll operations in a complex environment that includes 24 union agreements, 2 bargaining associations, and both hourly and salaried non-union employees. We are seeking a hands-on and strategic payroll leader who combines deep technical payroll expertise with strong people leadership capabilities. The successful candidate will drive operational excellence, mentor and develop a skilled payroll team, strengthen payroll processes and controls, and collaborate closely with HR, Finance, and operational leaders across the organization.
This is a Full-Time, Permanent position. Primarily an In-Office position at approx. 4 days a week, and 1 day at home (possibly in-office 5 days during training).JOB RESPONSIBILTIES:Leadership & Team Management- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of payroll professionals across Mississauga and Montreal, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Inspire high performance through coaching, employee development, and effective workload management.
- Build strong partnerships across HR, Finance, Operations, and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and exceptional service delivery.
- Promote process improvement initiatives that enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and employee experience.
- Manage team priorities, staffing requirements, and workflow to ensure payroll deadlines and service expectations are consistently met.
- Serve as a trusted advisor and escalation point for complex payroll matters and employee inquiries.
Payroll Operations & Technical Expertise- Lead the end-to-end processing of weekly and bi-weekly payrolls across Canada.
- Ensure full compliance with federal and provincial payroll legislation, CRA and MRQ requirements, collective agreements, and company policies.
- Oversee the accurate and timely remittance of third-party payments, including:
- Union dues
- Garnishments
- Family support payments
- Government remittances
- Manage payroll tax filings and payments, including account reconciliations and filings under multiple business numbers.
- Oversee year-end payroll activities, including preparation and filing of:
- T4s
- T4As
- RL-1s
- Associated summaries and reconciliations
- Manage provincial workers' compensation remittances and annual reporting requirements.
- Maintain and optimize payroll system functionality in collaboration with the HRMS team, including UKG Pro/WFM.
- Partner with HRMS and project teams on payroll system enhancements, integrations, and implementation of new modules.
- Maintain payroll-related general ledger tables and oversee monthly payroll journal entry review and approval.
- Act as the primary payroll contact for year-end financial reporting and external audits.
- Develop, analyze, and deliver specialized payroll and workforce reporting using UKG BI tools and other reporting platforms.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen payroll controls, reporting capabilities, automation, and operational efficiencies.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS REQUIRED:- 7+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience managing complex, multi-provincial Canadian payroll operations.
- Proven experience overseeing payroll for diverse employee groups, including hourly, salaried, unionized, and non-union employees.
- Demonstrated success leading and developing high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong technical knowledge of:
- Canadian payroll legislation
- CRA and MRQ regulations
- Payroll taxation and remittances
- Payroll accounting and general ledger processes
- Strong experience with HRMS/payroll platforms; experience with UKG Pro/WFM is considered a strong asset.
- Strong understanding of payroll system integrations with HR and financial systems.
- Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to manage complex payroll issues confidently and effectively.
- Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
- Proven ability to lead through change, improve processes, and drive operational excellence.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
- French language proficiency is considered an asset.
Salary Range: $100,000 - $130,000 
