Payroll Operations Lead

Toronto Police Service; Toronto; On-site; CAD 134,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

The Toronto Police Service is seeking a Payroll Operations Lead to manage payroll operations in a complex environment. The role involves ensuring compliance, leading system enhancements, and overseeing payroll processes while fostering collaboration and innovation within the payroll team.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years of payroll experience.
• 5 years at a supervisory level.
• Experience in a multi-union payroll environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversees payroll compliance with legislation.
• Leads end-to-end payroll function and processing.
• Supervises Payroll team members.

Skills

Analytical skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Customer focus

Adaptability

Education

Degree in Business Administration

Diploma in Human Resources

Accounting Designation

Payroll Certification

Tools

PeopleSoft

Job description

Salary : $134,949 - $156,224 (2024 Salary Range)

Shift : Days

Location : 40 College Street

Department : Employee Services - Payroll

Job Code : Z28SDA

Must apply by : Monday June 30, 2025

Our Mindset ~ Our Connections ~ Our Impact ~ Our Development

Service at our Core ~ Do the Right Thing ~ Connect with Compassion ~

Reflect and Grow

The Opportunity :

Are you a seasoned payroll professional with a passion for operational excellence and strategic leadership? The Toronto Police Service is seeking a dynamic Payroll Operations Lead to oversee and drive the full payroll function in a complex, multi-union environment. Reporting to the Unit Commander, you will play a key role in ensuring compliance with legislative and regulatory standards, while leading system enhancements, managing key stakeholder relationships, and championing continuous improvement.

The Payroll Operations Lead will provide expert guidance during a period of modernization and transformation at TPS. 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 organization.

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

If you re a collaborative leader who thrives on solving complex challenges, mentoring teams, and enhancing service delivery through innovation and strategy this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

What you will do :

Reporting to the Unit Commander, the Payroll Operations Lead will be responsible for providing leadership and management of payroll operations and ensuring full compliance with regulatory, legislative, and tax requirements. This role also oversees payroll-related components of WSIB administration and ensures accurate and timely payroll processing across a multi-union environment.This role emphasizes collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to resolve complex payroll issues, implement improvements, and ensure optimal use of HR systems such as PeopleSoft.

The Payroll Operations Lead also acts as the key point of contact for strategic payroll initiatives, system upgrades, process audits, and change management. They will act as a change agent and champion of operational excellence, collaborating with internal / external partners to leverage best practices and current technologies to ensure optimal service delivery. Additionally, the Payroll Operations Lead will be responsible for recommendations pertaining to determining methods, best practices and procedures to be used, resolving problems, and ensuring results are achieved.

The Payroll Operations Lead will oversee the Payroll section and supervise the Payroll Supervisor and team members while also providing supervision and leadership to other areas as required.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Payroll Operations Lead include :

Payroll Expertise and Compliance Oversight :

• Leads the end-to-end payroll function, ensuring accurate processing, reconciliation, and remittance of payroll, WSIB premiums, and all applicable statutory deductions (CRA, EI, CPP, EHT, etc.).
• Ensures payroll compliance with federal / provincial legislation, collective agreements, and internal policies.
• Provides expert guidance on year-end processes including T4, T4A, and WSIB reporting, ensuring deadlines and legislative requirements are met.
• Oversees the integrity of payroll interfaces with General Ledger and Time Management Systems
• Reviews manual calculations and offers recommendation and process improvements
• Establishes key performance indicators to track and analyze the efficiency, accuracy and compliance of payroll operations, identify areas of improvement and ensure employees are paid correctly and on time

Stakeholder Collaboration & Service Delivery

• Acts as primary liaison with Finance, HR, WSIB, TPA, auditors, and external vendors regarding payroll operations, taxation matters, and payroll-impacting policies.
• Liaises with Toronto Police Association, Senior Officers' Organization, Labour Relations, Wellness, Accounting and other units within the TPS.Provides recommendations to help resolve payroll issues and implement operational changes keeping in mind the implications of these changes
• Establishes service level agreements and standard operating procedures in collaboration with key partners.
• Resolves escalated payroll issues and supports ongoing communication and education for employees and leaders on payroll-related matters.
• Engages stakeholders for input regarding payroll projects and process changes.

HR Systems and Technology Leadership

• Oversees payroll configuration, data accuracy, and process integration in PeopleSoft HRMS and other HR system platforms.
• Identifies opportunities for system and process enhancements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
• Partners with IT and project teams for payroll system upgrades and ensures accurate testing and implementation.

Project Management & Strategic Process Improvements

• Leads an ongoing review of payroll processes across the Service. Identifies and documents inefficiencies and recommends improvements
• Identifies and mitigates payroll-related risks, including taxation errors, overpayments, WSIB classification issues, and non-compliance with labor standards.
• Leads the development and implementation of payroll audit controls, continuous improvement strategies, and system automation initiatives. Develops procedures and frameworks to support ongoing monitoring and reporting of control effectiveness
• Conducts an ongoing review of existing payroll processes and practices with focus on systemic improvement. Recommends and implements process enhancements that improve payroll accuracy and efficiency.
• Makes recommendations to the Unit Manager for any HR / Service related policy changes that may impact operational activities for the unit
• Manages payroll related projects and enhancements are required
• Responds to and manages audit recommendations

People Leadership and Customer Service

• Supervises Payroll team members, providing coaching, performance management, and mentorship.
• Plans resources, sets priorities, and develops team capacity to ensure high service levels for payroll inquiries.
• Fosters a collaborative, professional, and customer-focused work environment aligned with organizational values.
• Proactively reviews the unit's customer service metrics, identifies key areas of concern or risk, develops action plans and / or business plans to address these concerns for overall review with unit Manager
• Manages staff recruitment, performance, training and skill development activities.
• Plans resources and sets work priorities in support of all corporate and legislative requirements

WSIB Payroll Administration

• Oversees all payroll elements related to WSIB, including premiums, earnings reporting, injury-related absences, and coordination between stakeholders and reporting.
• Ensures WSIB claims are processed accurately and timely, with proper classification of earnings and consistent alignment with payroll, CRA regulations and policy.

Education / Experience :

• Degree / Diploma in Business Administration, Human Resources, Accounting, or a related field
• A minimum eight (8) years of experience in payroll, with at least five (5) years at a supervisory level and three (3) years direct experience with PeopleSoft; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Accounting Designation and Payroll Certification are assets
• Experience working in a multi-union payroll environment
• Experience in Municipal / Public Sector is preferred
• Expert on administrative service delivery, process design and industry best practices of same
• Previous experience with Project Management principles and practices, including implementation experience is preferred
• Expert on the implementation and delivery of administrative services, process design and industry best practices related to payroll

Knowledge :

• Knowledge of CRA rules
• Strong understanding of relevant human resources, payroll legislation and CRA requirements
• Full understanding of the pay cycle and the year-end process a must

Skills :

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to determine root causes and impacts
• Demonstrated leadership / supervisory capabilities
• Ability to adapt to changing corporate priorities
• Demonstrated ability to create a collaborative, professional, respectful work environment with a high level of customer focus

Probationary Period :

One Year

Contact :