Canadian Payroll Specialist

Unilever; Toronto; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consumer goods company in Toronto seeks a Canadian Payroll Specialist with extensive payroll expertise. The candidate will ensure accurate payroll processing, maintain compliance with labor laws, and support audits. Key qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree, 3-5 years of payroll experience, and strong communication skills. The role requires collaboration with HR and is focused on operational excellence in a dynamic environment. This position offers a chance to work in an inclusive organization committed to diversity.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in Canadian payroll operations.
• Strong understanding of SOX compliance, internal controls, and audit processes.
• Experience with third-party payroll vendors and service delivery models.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate and compliant payroll processing.
• Manage large and complex payroll for many employees.
• Serve as the primary contact for payroll inquiries.
• Analyze payroll data for trends and optimizations.

Skills

Canadian payroll expertise

Operational capabilities

Leadership skills

Excellent communication skills (English)

Proactive and problem-solving approach

Advanced Excel skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field

Tools

UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)

Workday

Job description

Canadian Payroll Specialist

The ideal candidate possesses extensive Canadian payroll expertise, ensuring accurate and compliant delivery. Additionally, they demonstrate strong operational capabilities and leadership skills required to effectively manage payroll operations in a dynamic and evolving setting.

Payroll Operations & Compliance

• Ensure in market accurate and timely payroll processing.
• Maintain compliance with local labor laws, tax regulations, and internal policies.
• Review and validate payroll inputs and outputs, including gross-to-net calculations, statutory deductions, and final payments.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing documentation and ensuring adherence to SOX controls and other regulatory requirements.
• Manage the end-to-end processing of a large and complex payroll for a high volume of employees, including salary, hourly wages, bonuses.
• Ensure full compliance with federal and provincial payroll and tax laws, including employment standards and labor regulations.
• Stay up to date on changes to payroll legislation and work with the payroll vendor to ensure the necessary adjustments are made to payroll procedures and systems.

Financial and Accounting Duties

• Perform payroll-related reconciliations, including reconciling payroll liabilities and balancing period-end reports.
• Collaborate with the finance and accounting departments to ensure the accurate posting of payroll journal entries to the general ledger.

Employee Support and Internal Collaboration

• Serve as the primary contact for the Canadian payroll service cases, working with employees and managers regarding complex payroll inquiries, providing clear explanations.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and Benefits teams on matters concerning employee benefits administration.

Performance Monitoring

• Analyze payroll data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for process optimization.
• Present insights and recommendations to leadership for strategic decision-making.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in Canadian payroll operations.
• Strong understanding of SOX compliance, internal controls, and audit processes.
• Experience with third-party payroll vendors and service delivery models.
• Excellent communication skills (English).
• Proficiency with payroll software and HRIS platforms such as UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) and Workday is a plus.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with data analysis and reporting tools.
• Proactive and problem‑solving approach.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Unilever Canada is an organization committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, marital status, family status, disability, genetic characteristics, and a conviction for which a pardon has been granted.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note: These lines are reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and are not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses.

Unilever Canada est une organisation engagée à la diversité et à l'inclusion pour stimuler nos résultats d'affaires et créer un meilleur avenir chaque jour pour nos employés, les consommateurs globaux, les partenaires et les communautés. Nous croyons qu'un effectif diversifié nous permet de faire correspondre nos ambitions de croissance et de stimuler l'inclusion dans l'entreprise. Tous les candidats qualifiés recevront la considération pour un emploi sans égard à la race, la couleur, la religion, le sexe, l'orientation sexuelle, l'identité ou l'expression de genre, l'âge, l'origine nationale ou ethnique, l'état matrimonial, la situation familiale, l'invalidité, les caractéristiques génétiques, et une condamnation pour laquelle un pardon a été accordé.

Si vous êtes une personne handicapée qui a besoin d'aide à tout moment au cours de notre processus de recrutement, veuillez communiquer avec nous à [e-mail]. Veuillez noter: ces lignes sont réservées aux personnes handicapées ayant besoin d'aide et ne sont pas un moyen d'enquêter sur les postes.