Payroll Supervisor

The Corporation of the City of Sarnia; Sarnia; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health and dental benefits

Life insurance

EFAP

OMERS pension plan

Earned day off program

Vacation time

Job summary

The Corporation of the City of Sarnia seeks a Payroll Supervisor to lead the payroll function within the Finance department. This permanent, full-time role reports to the City Treasurer and directs the Payroll Team to ensure accurate, compliant payroll operations.

You will oversee payroll processing, year-end tasks, pension administration, remittances, internal controls, budgeting and reporting, and provide guidance to managers and staff on payroll issues and changes.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Accounting and several years of payroll experience.
• Experience with payroll legislation and compliance requirements.
• Supervisory experience and ability to lead a payroll team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the payroll function and ensure accurate, timely processing.
• Oversee year-end reporting, remittances and pension administration.
• Maintain internal controls and payroll policies.
• Prepare salary budgets and financial reporting related to payroll.
• Provide payroll guidance to managers and staff; support during bargaining.

Skills

Payroll knowledge

Legislation familiarity

Supervisory experience

Pension administration

Budgeting & reporting

Communication skills

Payroll software

Education

Three (3) year Diploma in Accounting

Tools

Payroll software

Job description

The City is seeking a Payroll Supervisor to join our finance team and lead our payroll function.

Job Status: Full -time Permanent

Division: Corporate Services

Department: Finance

Union: Non-Union

Closing Date: November 29, 2026

About the City of Sarnia

Located at the mouth of the St. Clair River on the shores of Lake Huron, the community of Sarnia is known for its breathtaking waterfront, pristine beaches and beautiful parks system. Situated on the American border, just a short drive from London, Ontario, the community boasts a host of recreational opportunities, state‑of‑the‑art healthcare, a vibrant cultural scene, and excellent education paired with a high standard of living and mild climate.

Ranked one of the most affordable medium‑sized cities in Ontario, Sarnia, with its 72,000 residents, is home to over 1,000 acres of parkland and 40 km of trails in addition to 4 golf courses, 16 art galleries, 6 museums, and 3 theatres across the County.

The Role

Under the general direction of the City Treasurer, this position is responsible for managing the City’s payroll function, including the planning, coordination, oversight, and administration of all payroll operations. The position provides leadership to the Payroll Team, ensuring payroll services are delivered accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable legislation, collective agreements, City policies, and regulatory requirements.

This position oversees payroll processing, year‑end reporting, pension administration, statutory and third‑party remittances, payroll audits, internal controls, budgeting, and financial reporting related to payroll. The Payroll Manager provides expert payroll guidance and support to managers and employees, contributes payroll and financial analysis for strategic decision‑making, and participates as a member of the management team during collective bargaining.

Qualifications

• Three (3) year Diploma in Accounting
• Four (4) years of experience running payroll for a medium‑sized organization
• One (1) year of progressive supervisory experience
• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation is considered an asset

The Candidate

The successful candidate should possess the following experience, knowledge and competencies:

• Thorough knowledge of payroll legislation including the Income Tax Act, Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Employment Insurance (EI), Employment Standards Act (ESA), Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requirements, and pension administration practices.
• Demonstrated experience managing the full payroll cycle, including payroll processing, payroll audits, remittances, retroactive payments, termination and retirement payouts, and year‑end reporting.
• Strong understanding of municipal payroll operations, collective agreement administration, OMERS pension processes, employee benefits, and payroll accounting practices.
• Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining payroll procedures, internal controls, and quality assurance processes to ensure compliance and operational effectiveness.
• Proven ability to analyze payroll expenditures, prepare salary budgets, perform financial reporting, and provide strategic recommendations to management.
• Effective communicator with the ability to provide payroll guidance and support to employees, managers, senior leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities including staff supervision, workload delegation, performance management, coaching, recruitment, training, employee development, and succession planning.
• Strong organizational and problem‑solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain confidentiality, and ensure accuracy in a deadline‑driven environment.
• Proficiency in payroll systems and financial software, with advanced analytical and reporting skills using spreadsheet and database applications.

Why Work With Us

It’s an opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment where your organizational skills, attention to detail, and professionalism will be highly valued.

The City offers competitive salaries alongside extended health, dental and travel benefits, life insurance coverage, access to our Employee & Family Assistance Plan (EFAP), and enrollment in the OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System) pension plan.

We are an organization focused on the health and well-being of our employees, including a priority on work‑life balance delivered through a unique earned‑day‑off package in addition to vacation time offerings.

We are an inclusive and equitable Corporation that encourages applications from qualified individuals of all genders, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and Indigenous persons. Appropriate accommodations will be provided upon request throughout the hiring process as required by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Information received relating to accommodation and diversity will be addressed confidentially.

Personal information is being collected under the authority of the Municipal Act and will be used to determine the qualifications for employment with The Corporation of the City of Sarnia. Questions about this collection should be directed to the City Clerk, 255 Christina St. N., Sarnia, ON N7T 7N2, 519-332-0330 ext. 3366.

Please note this recruitment is for a current vacancy.