Senior Payroll and Benefits Specialist (confidential)

The Talent Company View all jobs

  • Toronto, ON
  • $100,000-110,000 per year
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 10 days ago
Why You Will Love This Organization
Our client is a well-established, federally regulated financial institution specializing in innovative property ownership solutions for Canadians. With a legacy spanning nearly four decades, this organization has built a strong reputation as a trusted market leader, offering secure and flexible financial products that support homeowners in retirement.With a collaborative, high-performing culture and a continued focus on modernization and operational excellence, the organization is investing in its people, systems, and processes including a recent implementation of Workday to enhance HR and payroll capabilities. This is an exciting opportunity to join a team that is evolving and shaping the future of its operations.The Impact You Will Have
This is a pivotal role responsible for owning and elevating the payroll function within a growing and evolving organization. You will bring expertise, structure, and accountability to payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement.As a key partner to HR, Finance, and leadership, you will move beyond transactional processing to drive a more proactive, programmatic approach, identifying risks, improving processes, and strengthening overall payroll and benefits administration.What You Will Do
  • Own full-cycle Canadian payroll for ~400+ employees (bi-weekly cycles)
  • Manage all payroll inputs, validations, reconciliations, and outputs with a high degree of accuracy
  • Perform payroll audits, controls, and variance analysis to ensure compliance and minimize risk
  • Process and oversee executive and board-level payroll (quarterly/variable components)
  • Manage payroll-related reporting, remittances, and year-end activities (e.g., T4s, audits)
  • Utilize Workday Payroll to process transactions, upload files (EIBs), and manage data integrity
  • Partner with HR, Finance, and business leaders to ensure timely and accurate payroll inputs
  • Identify process gaps and inefficiencies; recommend and implement improvements
  • Support ongoing payroll transformation initiatives, including automation and process optimization
  • Assist with benefits administration (enrollments, changes, vendor coordination, employee inquiries)
  • Act as a subject matter expert on payroll legislation, compliance, and best practices
What You Will Bring
  • 5+ years of progressive experience in Canadian payroll (senior specialist or program ownership level)
  • Proven experience managing end-to-end payroll independently in a complex environment
  • Hands-on experience with Workday Payroll required
  • Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, compliance, and statutory requirements
  • Experience with payroll controls, audits, and interactions with tax authorities
  • Advanced Excel skills and strong data/reporting capabilities
  • Experience supporting benefits administration is considered a strong asset
  • Systems mindset with understanding of integrations, data flows, and process optimization
  • High level of ownership, accountability, and attention to detail
  • Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with the confidence to challenge and improve processes
  • Strong communication skills and ability to partner cross-functionally
Work Environment
  • Hybrid work model: 3 days onsite, downtown Toronto
  • Collaborative, team-oriented environment with strong leadership support
  • Opportunity to play a key role in a function undergoing transformation and modernization
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE
This search is being conducted confidentially. Details regarding the organization and its operations will be shared with qualified candidates during the interview process.JOB VACANCY STATUS
This role is currently vacant, and the organization is accepting applications with the intention to hire as soon as possible.HIRING RANGE
The anticipated hiring range for this role is an annual salary of $100,000 - $110,000.USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – BY RECRUITERS & HIRING MANAGERS
At The Talent Company, people are at the centre of our recruitment process. While we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools for limited administrative purposes (such as writing creative outreach messages, summarizing interview notes or transcribing reference checks) AI is never the decision maker. Resumes and candidate information are personally reviewed by our recruiters, and all hiring decisions are made by people who bring judgment, care, and expertise to each match. If a client’s recruitment process involves a greater degree of AI use during their own interviews or assessments, we will communicate that to short-listed candidates, so they are aware in advance. Our commitment is to use technology responsibly, while ensuring fairness, transparency, and respect at every stage of the process.USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – BY CANDIDATES
We recognize that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support their job search, for example to refine writing style or gather research. While this can be appropriate, the information you provide in your resume, screening questions, and interviews must always be truthful and accurately reflect your own experience, knowledge, and competencies. AI should never be used to create or exaggerate credentials. Our goal is to understand the real you – your skills, your story, and your potential – so that we can make the best possible match between you and the organizations we serve.ACCOMMODATION & INCLUSIVITY
At The Talent Company, we recognize the value of different perspectives and experiences in prompting innovation, sparking creativity, and solving problems. As an equal employment opportunity organization, we do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, persons with disabilities and all other categories protected by law.We are committed to Equal Opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Please let us know by emailing 'recruitment@thetalent.co' if an adjustment or adaptation is required at any stage to support you during the recruitment journey.

The Talent Company