PAYROLL & ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR

Zehr Group; St. Jacobs; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Zehr Construction, the construction division of Zehr Group, is seeking a Payroll & Accounting Administrator to manage weekly and bi-weekly payroll in Payworks and support month-end close.

The role covers accounts payable, reconciliations, and project job costing in Sage 300 CRE, with emphasis on union payroll and compliance. A collaborative, detail-oriented professional will thrive here.

Qualifications

• University degree or college diploma in Accounting, Business, Finance, or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years of combined experience in payroll and accounting, preferably in construction.
• Practical understanding of Canadian payroll legislation and payroll compliance requirements.
• Experience with unionized payroll and processing trust fund remittances; construction trades experience is an asset.
• Experience using payroll and accounting systems; Payworks and Sage 300 CRE are strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Process weekly and bi-weekly payroll in Payworks from start to finish for salaried, hourly, and unionized employees.
• Reconcile payroll registers against timesheets and prior periods, investigate variances, and resolve errors.
• Maintain payroll records, including vacation accruals, deductions, garnishments, and adjustments.
• Prepare Records of Employment, tax forms, and other payroll documentation.
• Record payroll journal entries and reconcile payroll clearing and related accounts.
• Allocate labour costs to projects in Sage 300 CRE to support accurate job costing.
• Process accounts payable and assist with month-end close and reporting.

Skills

Payroll accuracy

Attention to detail

Organization

Communication skills

Independence

Teamwork

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

Tools

Payworks

Sage 300 CRE

Excel

Job description

Zehr Construction, the construction division of Zehr Group, is looking for a Payroll & Accounting Administrator. This individual will deliver accurate, on-time payroll and day-to-day accounting support for the company. Payroll is the first priority of this role. The Payroll & Accounting Administrator runs the weekly and bi-weekly payroll cycles in Payworks and supports the Controller with accounts payable, reconciliations, job costing, and month-end close. The role calls for sound technical payroll knowledge, including unionized construction payroll, and a helpful, responsive approach with employees.

As the person in this role gains experience in project management and the construction industry, they are expected to take on additional responsibilities progressively. The ideal candidate is a natural collaborator who understands processes, communicates well with colleagues across all functions of the organization, prioritizes effectively, pays close attention to detail, and is willing to learn.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

PAYROLL - PRIMARY (APPROX. 60% OF TIME)

• Process weekly and bi-weekly payroll in Payworks from start to finish for salaried, hourly, and unionized employees
• Collect, verify, and correct timesheets, following up with site superintendents and project managers onmissing or incomplete hours
• Reconcile payroll registers against timesheets and prior periods, investigate variances, and resolve errors before pay is released
• Apply collective agreement provisions to union payroll, including trade wage rates, overtime, premiums, statutory holiday pay, vacation pay, and union dues
• Calculate, remit, and reconcile monthly union pension, health and welfare, and other trust fundcontributions across multiple union locals
• Calculate and file statutory remittances, including CRA source deductions, EHT and WSIB premiums,within required deadlines
• Maintain accurate payroll records, including vacation accruals, statutory deductions, garnishments,benefit deductions, and other pay adjustments
• Partner with Human Resources to process new hires, terminations, pay changes, and status changesaccurately and on time
• Prepare Records of Employment, tax forms, and other payroll documentation
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee payroll questions, and respond promptly and thoroughly to CRA, Service Canada, WSIB, and other external agencies
• Support CRA payroll audits, WSIB audits, union trust fund audits, and other payroll reviews, keepingrecords audit-ready
• Lead year-end payroll, including T4 preparation, reconciliation, and distribution
• Keep payroll files organized, secure, and filed in the company's systems
• Identify and implement process improvements that strengthen payroll accuracy, controls, and efficiency
• Stay current with changes to payroll legislation, employment standards and collective agreements, andupdate procedures accordingly

ACCOUNTING SUPPORT (APPROX. 40% OF TIME)

• Process accounts payable, including coding and entering vendor and subcontractor invoices and preparing payment runs
• Reconcile vendor statements and follow up on discrepancies
• Record payroll journal entries and reconcile payroll clearing, payroll liability, and bank accounts
• Allocate labour costs to projects in Sage 300 CRE to support accurate job costing
• Prepare payroll reports and labour cost analysis for the Controller and project teams, including labourcost by project
• Track subcontractor compliance documents, including WSIB clearance certificates and certificates ofinsurance
• Track holdbacks on subcontractor payments
• Process employee expense reports
• Support the Controller with month-end close, including accruals, reconciliations, and reporting schedules
• Any other reasonable tasks required to meet the requirements of this position in a professional andcomplete manner

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• University degree or college diploma in Accounting, Business, Finance, or a related discipline
• At least 3 years of combined experience in payroll and accounting, preferably in the construction industry
• Practical understanding of Canadian payroll legislation and payroll compliance requirements
• Experience with unionized payroll, including applying collective agreement provisions and processing trust fund remittances; construction trades experience is an asset
• Experience using payroll and accounting systems; Payworks experience is strongly preferred and Sage 300 CRE experience is an asset
• Solid understanding of bookkeeping and accounting principles, including journal entries, accountspayable, and account reconciliations
• Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation, completed, in progress, or nearing completion, is an asset
• Construction industry knowledge is an asset

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Organized, logical, and detail-oriented
• Discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential employee and payroll information
• Deadline-driven, with the ability to prioritize tasks
• Intermediate Excel skills and proficiency in other Microsoft Office applications