Lead, Payroll Compliance and Controls

Uhnresearch; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead, Payroll Compliance and Controls to enhance payroll operations during a strategic transformation. This pivotal role involves developing reliable internal controls, ensuring compliance with legislation, and modernizing payroll practices in alignment with new HRIS and WFM systems. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in managing payroll systems, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to navigate complex compliance requirements. Join a team dedicated to building a healthier world and enjoy a flexible work environment with opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Competitive offer packages

Government organization with pension plan

Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service

Flexible work environment

Opportunities for development and promotions

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in payroll management and compliance.
• Expertise in Canadian payroll legislation and internal control frameworks.
• Experience with HRIS implementation and payroll process optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll operations review and risk assessment across UHN.
• Implement internal controls and best practices for payroll compliance.
• Contribute to HRIS/WFM configuration and integration for payroll processes.

Skills

Payroll Systems Management

Process Improvement

Internal Controls

Compliance with Canadian Payroll Legislation

Data Analysis

Communication Skills

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field

Certification in payroll administration (e.g., PCP or CPM designation)

Tools

HRIS Systems

Payroll Reporting Tools

Excel

Job description

UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital and the world’s #1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

UHN’s vision is to build A Healthier World and it’s only because of the talented and dedicated people who work here that we are continually bringing that vision closer to reality.

Union: Non-Union
Number of vacancies: 1
Site: Toronto General Hospital, with occasional travel to other sites
Department: People & Culture
Reports to: Sr. Director, Total Rewards
Hours: 37.5 per week
Status: Permanent Full-Time
Closing Date: May 23, 2025

Position Summary

The Lead, Payroll Compliance and Controlsprovides expert guidance during a period of strategic transformation at UHN. This role focuses on strengthening payroll operations by developing reliable internal controls, ensuring legislative compliance, and aligning payroll governance with the expectations and needs of a complex acute-teaching hospital.

The Lead brings a critical and structured approach to modernizing UHN payroll practices. Drawing on business controls frameworks and rooted in best practice, the role ensures UHN payroll activities are accurate, compliant, and adaptable to new HRIS functionality. In addition, the Lead has strong knowledge of employee records management and provides expert guidance on best practices in this domain.

The Lead, Payroll Compliance and Controlswill be joining UHN at a pivotal time, as in the fall of 2025, we are embarking on an implementation of a new Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and UHN’s first Workforce Management System (WFM). The role will contribute to the design and implementation of payroll-related processes in both systems.

About You

You are a seasoned professional with expert knowledge in managing and overseeing payroll systems. In this highly specialized, individual contributor role, you will work closely with People and Culture, Finance, IT and external vendors to streamline payroll functions, integrate new technologies and ensure adherence to labour laws and tax regulations. You have expertise in both legacy and modern payroll solutions. Ideally, you have been part of a robust HRIS/Payroll implementation. You have strong leadership, problem-solving and communication skills.

Duties

• Payroll Operations Review and Risk Assessment: Leads a comprehensive assessment of current-state payroll processes across UHN, capturing nuances across various employee types and payment methods. Identifies and documents inefficiencies, control gaps, and risks related to compliance with legislation such as the Employment Standards Act, Income Tax Act, and CRA guidelines. Develops a payroll risk assessment with identified risks, potential impacts and recommended mitigations.
• Internal Controls: Reviews internal payroll control mechanisms based on principles of accountability, auditability, and risk reduction. Implements best practices including role-based access, required approval structures, and exception reporting. Prepares detailed documentation to support audits and ensure clarity of roles and responsibilities. Develops procedures and frameworks to support ongoing monitoring and reporting of control effectiveness.
• HRIS/WFM Configuration and Integration: Serves as the payroll governance subject matter expert throughout HRIS planning and implementation. Translates business rules and control requirements into system configuration requirements. Participates in data validation, workflow testing, and UAT to ensure payroll system functionality supports governance goals. Ensures integration with other systems, time tracking, and payroll modules is well-documented and compliant. Contributes to all applicable training and ongoing payroll education to system users.
• Employee Records: Provides subject matter expertise in the maintenance and organization of digital and physical employee records. Ensures compliance by understanding and adhering to relevant legislation and regulations, including ensuring adherence to UHN’s data privacy and retention policies. Implements and maintains effective secure storage systems and establishes procedures and process for access control and information sharing.
• Process Optimization and Continuous Improvement: Conducts an open, critical examination of all existing payroll practices with focus on systemic improvement, including areas long-standing legacy processes. Engages stakeholders with professionalism and resolve while asking challenging questions about practices, outdated procedures, or accepted workarounds that may conflict with best practice or policy. Identifies areas of UHN-user resistance or habitual process dependency offering evidence-based alternatives that prioritize compliance and efficiency. Recommends and implements process enhancements that improve payroll accuracy and efficiency.
• Payroll Metrics: Establishes key performance indicators to track and analyze the efficiency, accuracy and compliance of UHN’s payroll operations to track performance, identify areas of improvement and ensure employees are paid correctly and on time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field.
• Certification in payroll administration (e.g., Canadian Payroll Association – PCP or CPM designation).
• Minimum of six (6) years’ related experience with three (3) years of demonstrated expertise on process improvement, internal control and compliance within a large, multi-site organization.
• Deep understanding of Canadian payroll legislation including the Employment Standards Act, Income Tax Act, CPP, EI, and CRA requirements.
• Strong familiarity with internal control frameworks and audit readiness standards applicable to public sector organizations.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and payroll reporting tools including the ability to synthesize data to support operational decision-making.
• Skilled in navigating sensitive discussions, challenging existing processes, and gathering buy-in around operational improvements.
• High attention to detail, documentation skills, and ability to write clearly for technical and non-technical purposes.
• Demonstrated experience with complex payroll structures, including unionized and non-unionized environments, hourly and salaried workforces, and retroactive pay scenarios.
• Direct experience designing or testing internal payroll controls.
• Significant involvement in HRIS implementation or configuration projects, particularly related to payroll modules and system integration with Finance technical platforms.
• Self-directed, demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written. Ability to articulate difficult, complex concepts to parties with limited knowledge of those concepts. Experience working with an influencing others and multiple management levels.
• Proven decision making, negotiating, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage conflicting priorities and confidential data.
• Additional education in audit, internal controls, or HR systems (e.g., Workday) considered an asset.

Additional Information

Why Join UHN?

In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPPhttps://hoopp.com/ )
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization

Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.

All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.

UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates. Please ensure you check your email regularly.

Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.