Senior U.S. Payroll Analyst

Scotiabank; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Scotiabank in Scarborough, Ontario, is seeking a Senior U.S. Payroll Analyst to manage end-to-end U.S. payroll processing, compliance, and controls. You will work with internal partners and external vendors to ensure accuracy and timeliness of payroll activities.

The role emphasizes process improvements, policy maintenance, and adherence to federal, state, and local regulations, with a focus on delivering high-quality employee service. A strong background in high-volume payroll is required.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in HR, accounting or business.
• Certified Payroll Professional designation preferred.
• 3 to 5 years in a high-volume payroll environment.
• Strong knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal Employment Standards legislation.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, validate, and process all U.S. payroll transactions accurately and on schedule.
• Manage funding and remittance of payroll obligations including taxes and retirement contributions.
• Investigate and resolve payroll-related issues ensuring compliance and service quality.
• Lead payroll accounting, invoicing, and reconciliation processes with journal entries.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Excel

Attention to deadlines

Data management

Education

Post-secondary degree or diploma in HR/Accounting/Business

Certified Payroll Professional designation preferred

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

WorkForce Software

Employee Central

Job description

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Requisition ID: 275530

Join a purpose driven winning team, committed to results, in an inclusive and high-performing culture.

The Senior U.S. Payroll Analyst is accountable for the end-to-end preparation, validation, and reconciliation of semi-monthly U.S. payrolls, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and a high level of employee service. The role supports payroll audits, resolves complex inquiries, drives continuous process improvement, and contributes to strategic initiatives, tax reporting, and year-end activities. Working collaboratively with internal business partners and external vendors, the Senior Analyst helps strengthen payroll controls, enhance operational efficiency, and support the organization's payroll objectives.

Is this role right for you? In this role you will:

• Champion a customer-focused culture that strengthens employee and stakeholder relationships while leveraging the Bank's systems, knowledge, and resources.
• Prepare, validate, and process all U.S. payroll transactions accurately and on schedule, including salary changes, incentive payments, overtime, benefits deductions, retirement contributions, leaves of absence, direct deposits, disability payments, transfers, reversals, and terminations.
• Manage the timely funding and remittance of payroll-related obligations, including ACH payments, payroll taxes, 401(k) contributions, ESOP contributions, HSA funding, and benefit-related vendor payments.
• Investigate, resolve, and proactively address payroll-related issues, ensuring a high level of accuracy, compliance, and employee service.
• Maintain current knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll legislation and regulatory requirements. Interpret payroll regulations, ensure compliance, and provide guidance to management and stakeholders as required.
• Administer the Bank's U.S. retirement programs, including the 401(k) and ESOP plans, ensuring all enrollments, elections, and changes are accurately processed and transmitted to payroll and plan administrators. Oversee timely funding, reconciliation, balancing activities, delinquency reporting, and forfeiture account administration.
• Lead the payroll accounting, invoicing, and reconciliation processes by preparing and validating journal entries, monitoring funding activities, reconciling payroll-related general ledger accounts, and ensuring monthly trial balance accuracy.
• Perform year-end balancing and reconciliation activities to ensure the accuracy of payroll tax reporting and employee tax forms, including W-2 processing.
• Maintain and update U.S. Payroll policies, procedures, and the Payroll Handbook to reflect legislative, regulatory, and operational changes.
• Conduct payroll reconciliations between payroll, HR, benefits, and financial systems, investigating discrepancies and driving timely resolution and escalation where appropriate.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including tax reporting, annual reconciliations, bonus processing, regulatory filings, and partnership with HR and Finance teams to ensure a successful year-end close.
• Ensure all payroll activities are completed in accordance with Bank policies, internal controls, audit requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Understand and apply the Bank's risk appetite and risk culture in day-to-day activities, decisions, and operational processes.
• Serve as a role model for service excellence by championing case management best practices, delivering high-quality support, meeting service level commitments, and maintaining a strong focus on employee and client satisfaction.

Do you have the skills that will enable you to succeed? - We'd love to work with you if you have:

• Post-secondary Degree or Diploma in Human Resources, Accounting or Business or related field
• Certified Payroll Professional Designation preferred
• 3 to 5 years experience in a high volume complex payroll environment
• Strong knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal Employment Standards legislation
• Deep understanding and knowledge of Bank policies and procedures is an asset
• Strong knowledge of Organizational structure and complexity
• Strong knowledge of payroll policies, processes and practices
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Attentive to details and deadlines; ability to manage multiple priorities
• Experience with transaction processing and data management
• Intermediate to Advanced Excel
• Strong analytical skills
• Proficiency in ADP Workforce Now

What's in it for you?

• Coordinate and processes all payroll activities
• Ensure the integrity of payroll data
• System support: ADP, WorkForce Software, Employee Central
• Responsible for meeting establishes SLAs
• Ensure business continuity for accountabilities under purview, ensuring coverage 5 days/week in assigned schedule

Location(s): Canada : Ontario : Scarborough

Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets.

At Scotiabank, we value the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the Bank, and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternate format documents, ASL Interpreter, or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our Recruitment team know. We thank all applicants for their interest in a career at Scotiabank; however, only those candidates who are selected for an interview will be contacted.