Payroll Manager

Vaco; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead payroll operations for a large workforce across multiple cycles. You will ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with federal and provincial regulations, and oversee year-end activities and statutory reporting.

You will manage complex payroll transactions, support month-end and year-end close, and provide guidance on retirement and savings programs.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of managerial experience with at least 4 direct reports.
• CPM or PCP certification required.
• Experience in a large organization (over 4000 employees).
• Experience administering a defined contribution pension plan.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll operations across multiple cycles ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Oversee year-end activities, remittances, and regulatory reporting.
• Manage payroll adjustments, retroactive payments and other exceptions.
• Oversee payroll accounting, reconciliations, and month/year-end close.
• Lead retirement and savings program administration and governance.
• Provide guidance to employees on payroll and retirement inquiries.
• Maintain system integrity and prepare analytics for leadership.

Skills

Team leadership

Payroll processing

Regulatory compliance

Pension administration

Change management

Education

CPM certification

PCP certification

Job description

• Lead payroll operations, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant processing of multiple payroll cycles for a diverse employee population.
• Oversee year-end payroll activities, statutory reporting, tax filings, source deductions, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal and provincial payroll legislation, including remittances, government reporting, and employee deductions.
• Manage complex payroll transactions and adjustments, including retroactive payments, incentive compensation, vacation calculations, pension-related adjustments, and other payroll exceptions.
• Oversee payroll accounting activities, including reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, and support for month-end and year-end financial reporting.
• Lead the administration of employee retirement and savings programs, ensuring accurate calculations, reporting, and ongoing plan governance.
• Provide guidance and support to employees regarding payroll and retirement-related inquiries and communications.
• Maintain and optimize payroll, workforce management, and employee self-service systems, including enhancements, upgrades, and data integrity controls.
• Ensure strong internal controls and audit readiness, acting as the primary liaison for internal and external audits related to payroll and employee benefit programs.
• Develop reporting and analytics to identify trends, improve processes, and support business decision-making.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing payroll team, fostering continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and succession planning.

About you:

• 5+ years of Managerial experience (4 direct reports)
• PCP or CPM required
• Large organization experience (over 4000 employees)
• Relevant pension experience, administering a dcpp

This position for employment is for a current vacancy with Highspring’s client. You must currently reside within the Greater Toronto Area and be permitted to work in Canada to be considered for this opportunity.

Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and is committed to providing transparent notice of our policies in English and in French. Additionally, the company uses AI to perform preliminary screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client’s use of AI products in hiring.

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

Having said that Vaco by Highspring believes that the salary range referenced reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).