Payroll Analyst

Fortra Arabia; Canada; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortra is hiring a Payroll Analyst to support accurate, timely payroll processing for US and Canadian employees, with a focus on tax administration and compliance. The role involves handling federal, state, local, and provincial taxes, payroll deductions, and coordination with third-party providers in Workday.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Sr. Payroll Analyst and Payroll Manager to resolve discrepancies, ensure accurate tax obligations, and contribute to improvements in

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and payroll experience.
• 3+ years of US payroll experience.

Responsibilities

• Support administration and reconciliation of US federal, state, and local payroll taxes.
• Support Canadian federal and provincial deductions and employer contributions.
• Review payroll tax liabilities and reconcile to provider records and GL data.
• Research and resolve payroll tax notices with vendors and agencies.
• Assist with year-end payroll tax activities and related forms (W-2, T4, etc.).
• Generate recurring and ad hoc payroll and tax reports for management.

Skills

Payroll processing

Tax compliance

US payroll tax

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Associate degree

Tools

Workday Payroll

Job description

Whether you're an experienced professional or just getting started, your contributions matter at Fortra. If you're passionate about tackling meaningful challenges alongside talented team members committed to helping each other succeed, all while having lots of fun, we want to hear from you. We offer competitive benefits and salaries, personal and professional development opportunities, flexibility, and much more!

The Payroll Analyst supports accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing for US and Canadian employees, with a primary focus on payroll tax administration and compliance. The role supports federal, state, local, and provincial payroll tax activities, including tax setup, reconciliations, agency notices, registrations, reporting, and coordination with third-party tax and unemployment providers. Working closely with the Sr. Payroll Analyst and Payroll Manager, this role researches and resolves payroll tax discrepancies, monitors tax filings and liabilities, maintains supporting documentation, and helps ensure employee and employer tax obligations are accurately reflected in Workday and with external agencies and providers. The Payroll Analyst also supports assigned payroll processing activities and contributes to continuous improvement, automation, and standardization across US and Canadian payroll operations.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

US & Canada Payroll Tax and Compliance

• Support administration and reconciliation of US federal, state, and local payroll taxes and Canadian federal and provincial payroll deductions and employer contributions.
• Review payroll tax liabilities and reconcile payroll results to tax provider records, payroll control totals, and general ledger data as applicable.
• Monitor payroll tax filings, payments, and outstanding items completed through third-party tax providers and follow issues through resolution.
• Research and coordinate resolution of federal, state, local, provincial, and unemployment tax notices, working with payroll vendors and government agencies as appropriate.
• Support employer tax registrations, account setup, jurisdiction changes, and agency account maintenance as the organization adds or changes employee work locations.
• Review employee tax setup and investigate withholding discrepancies, including US state and local taxation and Canadian federal and provincial withholding.
• Support year-end payroll tax activities, including Forms W-2 and W-2c, Canadian T4 and T4A slips, associated reconciliations, corrections, and employee inquiries.
• Support reconciliation and administration of US unemployment taxes and Canadian Pension Plan and Employment Insurance deductions and employer contributions.
• Maintain complete documentation and audit trails for tax filings, payments, notices, reconciliations, corrections, and agency correspondence.
• Track tax issues through resolution and escalate material compliance risks or recurring discrepancies to the Sr. Payroll Analyst or Payroll Manager.

US & Canada Payroll Processing

• Execute assigned US and Canadian payroll activities, including payroll inputs, audits, reconciliations, corrections, and post-payroll validation, partnering with the Sr. Payroll Analyst to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant results.
• Perform pre- and post-payroll audits to identify discrepancies involving taxable wages, deductions, withholding, and employer taxes.
• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee tax issues within established payroll deadlines.
• Support off-cycle payrolls, adjustments, prior-period corrections, and year-end payroll processing as assigned.
• Generate recurring and ad hoc payroll and tax reports for management and business partners.
• Provide responsive, accurate, and confidential support to employees regarding payroll and tax-related inquiries.

Systems, Vendor Management, and Process Improvement

• Review and validate payroll tax configuration and employee tax elections in Workday Payroll, escalating configuration issues when appropriate.
• Identify potential payroll configuration or data issues through reconciliation and audit reports.
• Partner with People Systems resources to test payroll and tax-related configuration changes, Workday releases, payroll tax updates, and regulatory changes.
• Serve as the payroll point of contact for unemployment tax, coordinating requests with the external service provider, monitoring deadlines and outstanding items, and escalating unresolved issues as needed.
• Collaborate with People Experience, Finance, and other departments to support accurate data flow and effective resolution of payroll-related issues.
• Identify and recommend process improvements, including stronger controls, automation, standardization, and clear process documentation.
• Maintain current knowledge of US and Canadian payroll tax changes and assess potential operational impacts.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant payroll experience.
• 3+ years of US payroll exp