Job Summary
The Payroll Analyst ensures accurate, timely payroll processing and robust payroll accounting across the U.S. and Canada. This role owns payroll reporting and analytics, month-end close activities (journal entries, GL reconciliations), tax and statutory reconciliations, and audit readiness. You’ll partner closely with HR, Accounting/Finance, and external providers to maintain compliant, well-controlled payroll operations (multi-state U.S. and multi-province Canada), with a special focus on data integrity, variance analysis, and continuous process improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Processing & ControlsExecute end-to-end payroll cycles (hourly/salary, regular/off-cycle/bonus/stock), ensuring accuracy and on-time delivery for U.S. and Canada.
Maintain strong internal controls and develop standardized procedures and checklists.
Perform data validations (gross-to-net, deductions, garnishments), resolve discrepancies, and document root causes/corrections.
Build recurring and ad-hoc payroll reports (headcount, labor cost, taxes, overtime, bonus, accruals, KPIs).
Provide variance analysis (period-over-period, plan vs. actual), highlight trends, and recommend process improvements.
Prepare payroll journal entries (wages, taxes, benefits, bonus, 401(k)/RRSP, accruals).
Reconcile payroll-related GL accounts and support close deadlines.
Coordinate with Accounting on flux analysis and deliverables for internal/external audits.
Reconcile and remit U.S. federal/state/local payroll taxes and unemployment; support quarter/year-end filings (941, 940, W-2).
For Canada: ensure accurate CPP/QPP, EI, and income-tax withholdings; remit per CRA/RQ schedules; prepare year-end reconciliations and T4/T4A slips and summaries; support Records of Employment (ROE).
Stay current on U.S. and Canadian payroll legislation and system changes; translate changes into processes, system updates, and communications.
Support payroll systems testing (e.g., Workday/UKG/ADP) for releases, new earnings/deductions, and integrations.
Lead or contribute to payroll improvement projects.
Qualifications
Required
3+ years of payroll experience with significant exposure to Canadian payroll (multi-province) and U.S. multi-state processing.
Strong payroll accounting skills: journal entries, GL reconciliations, accruals, and month-end close.
Experience with tax/statutory reconciliations and year-end processing (U.S. and Canada—T4/T4A).
Advanced Excel/Google Sheets (lookups, pivots), comfort with large datasets and reconciliation tools.
Experience with at least one enterprise HR/Payroll platform (e.g., Workday, UKG, ADP).
Preferred
Canadian Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation (or in progress) from the National Payroll Institute; U.S. FPC/CPP a plus.
Experience supporting audits/SOX controls and multi-entity, multi-currency environments.
Familiarity with BI/reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) and SQL basics for data validation.
Success Metrics (KPIs)
Payroll accuracy rate and on-time completion (≥99.5%).
Timely tax/statutory remittances and zero penalties (U.S./Canada).
Month-end close timeliness and reduced reconciling items.
Clean audit results with strong control compliance.
Reporting cadence met; actionable insights delivered to Finance/HR each cycle.
Tools You May Use
HR/Payroll: Workday, UKG, ADP (or similar)
Accounting: ERP/GL (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite), Blackline (or similar)
Analytics: Excel/Sheets; optional BI tools (Power BI, Tableau)
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
Work Environment
Hybrid position with 4 days in office, 1 day work from home.
Standard working hours with occasional additional hours as necessary.