Canada Payroll Specialist

Raise; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Raise is seeking a Canada Payroll Specialist in Ottawa. The role is hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days remote) and focuses on Canadian payroll compliance, T4s/RL1s, remittances, and audits.

You will manage weekly and bi-weekly payrolls across multi-entity structures using UKG, with oversight of external processing and regulatory filings. The ideal candidate has Canadian payroll expertise, strong Excel skills, and a history of accurate, timely payroll operations in a fast-paced, multi-entity

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Proven expertise in Canadian payroll regulations and compliance.
• Experience in high-volume multi-entity payroll environments.
• Strong Excel, data analysis and reporting capabilities.
• Experience with payroll tax filings and regulatory frameworks across provinces.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with federal and provincial payroll regulations and year-end processing.
• Own Workers’ Compensation and EHT reporting and remittances.
• Review inputs and off-cycle payroll transactions, working with Payroll leadership on risk and oversight.
• Provide oversight to third-party payroll processing team and audit readiness.
• Process weekly/bi-weekly payroll for Canadian employees, including time from UKG.
• Manage historical timekeeping corrections and ensure accurate payroll.
• Validate LiveLink submissions for compliance and company policies.
• Run end-to-end payroll audits and coordinate internal/external audits.
• Coordinate with HR and finance for reimbursements, expenses, leaves, garnishments.
• Set up and maintain garnishments, tax levies, and liaise with agencies.
• Review withholding taxes for new hires and ongoing employees.
• Identify and resolve ADP direct deposit discrepancies.
• Respond to payroll report requests from HR and management.
• Serve as primary payroll contact and manage MyThales cases.

Skills

Excel skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/Finance/Accounting/HR

Tools

ADP

UKG

Workday

Job description

Canada Payroll Specialist

• Location: Ottawa, Ontario (Hybrid 3 days in office, 2 days work from home)
• Pay Rate: $23.35/hr
• Contract Length: 12 months

We at Raise are hiring a Canada Payroll Specialist for one of our top clients. After establishing themselves as an industry leader, they’re now expanding their team to meet rising demand. We’re hiring right now; if you’re interested, for your chance to join a great place to work.

Essential Functions / Key Areas of Responsibility

• Ensure compliance with all federal and provincial payroll regulations, including assisting payroll manager with year-end processing (T4s, RL1s), tax remittances, registrations, amendments, and statutory filings across all current and legacy legal entities.
• Ownership of Workers’ Compensation and EHT reporting and remittances, ensuring timely, accurate filings and alignment with regulatory agency expectations.
• Review inputs, manual and off-cycle payroll transactions and partnering with Payroll leadership to ensure appropriate risk management and financial oversight.
• Provide oversight and direction to the third-party payroll processing team, ensuring accuracy of payroll entries, timely issue resolution, and audit readiness.
• Independently processes weekly and bi-weekly payroll for all Canadian employees, verifying time entries, validating pay codes, and ensuring accurate and timely compensation, including the maintenance and processing of hourly employee’s time from UKG.
• Assume full ownership of historical timekeeping corrections for Canadian entities, proactively resolving discrepancies to maintain accurate payroll and compliance.
• Review and process LiveLink submissions independently, validating pay data to ensure compliance with applicable provincial payroll legislation and company policies.
• Independently runs end-to-end weekly and bi-weekly payroll audits for all Canadian employees, maintaining a high standard of accuracy and meeting all payroll deadlines.
• Work closely with the Payroll Manager to coordinate internal and external payroll audits, deliver thorough documentation, prompt audit support, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Accurately process all payroll-related reimbursements and top-ups, including expenses, OTP, STD, parental, and maternity leave, while coordinating with employees, internal HR teams and finance to ensure timely and accurate payments.
• Responsible for the set-up, maintenance and correspondence of Garnishments, Support and Tax Levies, serves as liaison between the employees and Garnishment agencies.
• Audit the Federal and Provincial withholding taxes for new hires and ongoing employees, including approval of tax elections based on Federal and Provincial requirements.
• Proactively identify and resolve ADP direct deposit discrepancies, minimizing payment delays and ensuring accurate payroll distribution.
• Respond to and manage ad hoc payroll report requests and inquiries from HR, employees and management, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely resolution.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for payroll inquiries, proactively managing MyThales cases and email communications to provide clear and accurate information and timely resolutions to employees and management.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and progressive professional experience.
• Demonstrated subject matter expertise in Canadian payroll operations, including deep knowledge of federal and provincial payroll legislation, taxation requirements, statutory reporting, and regulatory compliance.
• Proven experience operating in complex, high-volume, and multi-entity payroll environments, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and operational change.
• Basis understanding of payroll tax filings, registrations, remittances, and regulatory frameworks across multiple provinces and legal entities.
• Experience operating within a shared services or matrixed environment, with a strong understanding of end-to-end HR, compensation, and financial cycles.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex payroll, tax, and workforce data, assess risk exposure, and make sound, independent decisions with appropriate escalation when required.
• Strong Excel skills, including data analysis, formulas, pivot tables, and reporting, applied to streamline payroll operations and ensure accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining compliance, accuracy, and internal control standards.
• Strong organizational discipline and attention to detail, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with payroll and time & attendance systems, including ADP, UKG, and Workday
• Experience operating within a SOX-controlled or highly regulated environment, including audit and internal control frameworks
• Experience processing payroll across multiple legal entities and/or provinces within a complex organizational structures

Looking for meaningful work? We can help!

Raise is an established hiring firm with over 65 years of experience. We believe strongly in making the world a better place through work, which is why we’re a certified B Corporation and donate 10% of our profits to charity.

We strive to build teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we work in. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including people from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people identifying as LGBTQ2SI, veterans, and people with visible/nonvisible disabilities.

We have a dedicated webpage for accommodations where you can learn more about what we offer and request accommodation: https://raise.jobs/accommodations/

In order to submit candidates for roles, our clients will sometimes require personal information to confirm the identity of applicants and their legal status to work. Raise will never ask you for personal or banking information unless you have been selected for a job. If you are ever unsure about the legitimacy of this or another job posting by Raise (or have any other questions), please contact us at [phone] or [e-mail]

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