Senior Manager, Payroll Services

Are you an experienced senior payroll leader, looking for your next exciting role? DUCA is seeking a Senior Manager, Payroll Services to join our People & Culture team!

The ideal candidate for this role has Canadian payroll experience, managing a payroll team or function in a high volume environment with excellent leadership skills. 

Job Purpose & Summary

Reporting to the VP, Total Rewards & HR Operations, the Senior Manager, Payroll Services leads and manages the team responsible for delivering an exceptional employee experience through the provision of timely and accurate payroll services. Responsible for managing payroll related risk, this position will independently develop, document, and assess the controls and systems used to ensure payroll activities are delivered in compliance with associated regulations, legislation, and internal standards.

Additionally, as DUCA’s payroll subject matter expert, the Senior Manager, Payroll Services will troubleshoot issues and provide technical expertise and guidance for both internal and external stakeholders. This position also identifies areas where automation or efficiencies are possible and implements changes to processes, forms, workflows as needed.

Key Accountabilities & Duties

• Lead and develop the Payroll Services team, including hiring, training, coaching, and all other aspects of people management and development; manage payroll related deliverables and the annual workplan, identify and monitor leading indicators for high-volume periods and plan for associated resourcing need.
• Oversee day-to-day payroll operations and the delivery of accurate and on-time biweekly payrolls that include a high volume of transactions for salaried, hourly, and commissioned employee group.
• Manage the payroll function to ensure seamless integration with the HR Operations service delivery framework with a strong focus on exceptional employee experience.
• Ensure compliance with all related federal/provincial legislation and internal policies and procedures as they relate to payroll services, including salaries, commissions, benefits, pension plan, bonuses, termination payments, and other special payments as required.
• Govern and evaluate current payroll related forms, systems, processes, and workflows; identify, research, recommend, and implement new or enhanced policies, procedures, and processes to improve operational effectiveness that support business needs.
• Identify and monitor payroll related risk; develop and document various controls and systems to ensure payroll activities are processed accurately and in compliance with associated regulations, legislation, and internal standards.
• Act as the payroll subject matter expert for all internal and external stakeholders, provide technical expertise and advice on all matters related to payroll activities; troubleshoot payroll issues and resolve concerns.
• Conduct audits of biweekly payroll transactions as well as other regular quality control checks to assess the design and effectiveness of payroll related controls, recommend and implement improvements.
• Oversee the year-end reconciliation process, ensure timely submission of all payroll related regulatory filings and production of tax related forms.
• Manage all internal and external reporting requirements; produce regular and ad-hoc reports.
• Provide support to the Finance team with investigation of discrepancies in biweekly payroll entries, payroll related queries, and proactive communication of GL or other payroll related issues; create and maintain the GL mapping framework within the payroll system.
• Identify, test, and implement updated systems or processes to automate payroll related functions where possible.
• Understand DUCA’s various compensation plans and associated implications for payroll processing, vacation pay entitlement, pension contributions, benefit premiums etc. 

Occupational Experience & Education Requirements 

• Undergraduate degree in Business, Accounting, Finance or related discipline.
• 7+ years’ of full-time experience working in a high-volume payroll environment with salaried, hourly, and commissioned employee groups.
• 3 - 5 years’ experience managing a payroll team with responsibility for the full range of people management activities.
• PCP or CPM designation.
• Strong payroll systems experience (Desjardins’ EmployerD an asset).
• Experience in the administration of group benefit plans and defined contribution pension plans.
• Experience in mergers / acquisitions, payroll system integrations, and conversions an asset.

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes 

• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently while exer6cising mature judgment and decision-making skills.
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to build relationships across the organization.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel with the ability to produce high-quality, user-friendly reports.
• Excellent active listening, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence at all levels of an organization.
• Strong planning, prioritization, organizational, and time-management capabilities.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple, competing tasks and priorities.
• Process oriented and possess a continuous improvement mindset with demonstrated experience in process improvements and delivering business efficiencies.
• Ability to quickly deliver solutions that meet the needs of a fast-paced growing organization.
• Excellent problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills with the ability to resolve complex issues.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to work in a dynamic team environment with tact and diplomacy.
• Demonstrated ability to ensure confidentiality and protection of employee data and other sensitive information.

 Working Conditions

• Regular office environment.