Compensation Administration Specialist (Contract)

Conestoga College School of Business; Kitchener; Hybrid; CAD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Conestoga College School of Business is seeking a Payroll Administration Specialist for a full-time, contract role in Ontario. You will manage end-to-end payroll processes, ensure accurate payments, and handle confidential payroll data with integrity.

The role supports year-end and government reporting, works within the Total Rewards Team, and follows a hybrid schedule with on-site and remote days in Kitchener.

Qualifications

• Two-year diploma in Business Administration or Accounting is required.
• PCP designation from the National Payroll Institute is required; PLP is an asset.
• Five years of full-cycle payroll experience is required.
• Strong knowledge of Canada Revenue Agency payroll regulations.
• Experience with HRIS or payroll systems (ADP preferred).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; Excel macros are an asset.

Responsibilities

• Handle daily payroll requests from employees and stakeholders with confidentiality.
• Interpret and apply collective agreement requirements related to payroll and status changes.
• Process regular pay including retroactive pay, overtime, premiums, and reimbursements.
• Administer pension calculations and CAAT CAAT pension forms.
• Balance payroll data and update registers; support payroll previews and GL posting.
• Coordinate year-end reconciliation and government reporting activities.
• Respond to Service Canada requests and payroll inquiries.
• Ensure timely payroll distribution and accuracy of deductions.

Skills

Confidentiality

Attention to detail

Excel Macros

Education

Two-year diploma in Business Administration or Accounting

Tools

ADP payroll system

HRIS

Job description

Position Summary

Full-Time Administration, new contract position (immediate need to January 31, 2028)

As part of the Total Rewards Team and working in collaboration with the broader HR Department, the Compensation Administration Specialist will ensure that employees are paid accurately and on time and will perform confidential and sensitive administrative duties related to compensation administration. This involves the input and import of employee data into the payroll system, balancing the gross pay and deductions generated, and supporting end-to-end payroll processing, including year-end and government reporting activities.

Successful candidates will be required to conduct work within Ontario and must be available to work on campus as required. It is anticipated that this position will meet the needs of the department through a hybrid work arrangement, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with two days on-site at Conestoga’s 3065 King Street E office in Kitchener, and three days remote.

Responsibilities

• Interacts daily to handle requests from employees, colleagues, or other stakeholders, including inquiries of a confidential nature
• Interprets and implements Collective Agreement requirements related to full-time status, leaves of absence, sick leaves, resignations, layoffs, retirements, reclassifications, promotions, etc., in conjunction with the Total Rewards Team
• Processes regular pay for full-time employees, plus additional payments such as retroactive pay, overtime, shift premiums, parental leave top-ups, medical absences, ad-hoc payments, special allowances, and expense reimbursements
• Administers pension-related calculations and completes applicable forms related to the CAAT pension plan
• Completes manual payroll calculations, as required, and updates payroll registers for manual pay adjustments
• Collaborates with the HR Systems team to balance Payroll authorizations and utilizes the payroll previews generated from the system to balance prior to transmission of payroll
• Reviews and confirms all reconcilable deductions generated by the system are correct (Sun Life benefits, CAAT Pension, parking, donations, etc.) based on the payroll preview function
• Processes payroll distribution changes, as required, ensuring accurate processing to the General Ledger
• Completes Record of Employment forms for Employment Insurance purposes
• Responds to Service Canada (HRSDC) requests for information (e.g. termination inquiries)
• Monitors and responds to employee inquiries in the team’s shared mailboxes
• Supports with year-end reconciliation and reporting activities

Qualifications

• A two-year diploma in Business Administration or Accounting is required
• National Payroll Institute PCP designation is required; National Payroll Institute PLP designation will be considered an asset
• Five years of related payroll experience is required; five years in a full-cycle payroll function is preferred
• Thorough and current knowledge of Canada Revenue Agency payroll regulations, with a demonstrated commitment to compliance and integrity in payroll administration, is required
• Payroll processing experience using an HRIS or payroll system (ADP preferred)
• Must be well versed in the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Outlook; Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including experience using Macros, are considered an asset
• Experience in a unionized environment, interpreting collective agreements, is preferred
• Knowledge and experience with accounting principles, mathematical calculations, and general ledger cost accounting and distributions are assets
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and developed interpersonal and organizational skills are essential
• Must be professional, able to maintain strict confidentiality regarding pay and Human Resources matters and thrive in a fast-paced team environment