Payroll Specialist - Canada & Workday

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist - Canada & Workday to join a growing Payroll team. This position will take ownership of end-to-end Canadian payroll processing while also providing support for U.S. payroll activities during non-Canadian payroll weeks. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience processing Canadian payroll, a deep understanding of Canadian payroll legislation and compliance requirements, and proven experience processing payroll end-to-end within Workday. Fluency in both French and English is required, as this individual will serve as a primary point of contact for Canadian payroll.

Key Responsibilities

Process all aspects of biweekly Canadian payroll for 500+ employees. Provide support for U.S. payroll activities during non-Canadian payroll processing weeks. Process payroll end-to-end within Workday, including data entry, validation, reconciliation, and final processing. Transfer and validate data between timekeeping and payroll systems. Review payroll pre-checks, reconciliation reports, and audit reports to ensure accuracy. Research and resolve payroll discrepancies involving earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, and withholdings. Serve as a primary payroll contact for Canadian employees and internal business partners. Maintain compliance with Canadian federal and provincial payroll legislation, with particular emphasis on Québec, Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia. Manage Records of Employment (ROEs) in accordance with applicable Canadian requirements. Administer statutory deductions, wage garnishments, taxable benefits, retirement contributions, benefit deductions, and other payroll-related changes. Support payroll requirements related to statutory leaves, vacation pay, disability programs, and other Canadian legislative requirements. Prepare and reconcile year-end payroll requirements, including T4s, RL-1s, summaries, amendments, and other applicable filings. Assist with U.S. year-end payroll activities, including W-2s and related reporting. Conduct payroll-related tax research and assist with work/resident-based tax questions. Support internal and external payroll audits by providing documentation, reports, reconciliations, and other required information. Maintain strict confidentiality and protect the accuracy and integrity of sensitive payroll information. Identify opportunities to improve payroll, timekeeping, reporting, and compliance processes. Develop payroll and ad hoc reports within Workday when needed. Partner closely with Human Resources and other departments to resolve employee payroll-related issues.

Qualifications

3-5+ years of hands-on payroll processing experience, with significant experience supporting Canadian payroll. Proven experience processing end-to-end payroll within Workday; experience using Workday strictly as an HRIS or data-entry platform is not sufficient. Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll laws, regulations, taxation, and compliance requirements. Strong understanding of Québec payroll requirements and experience with multiple Canadian provinces. Thorough knowledge of Records of Employment (ROE) processes. Experience with Canadian workers' compensation requirements and various provincial workers' compensation organizations. Knowledge of Canadian federal and provincial tax filing and year-end requirements. Experience with a Canadian payroll population of 500+ employees is highly preferred. Strong understanding of payroll tax research and work/resident-based taxation. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills. Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities. Strong customer service and communication skills. Ability to manage confidential information with a high degree of discretion and accuracy. Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Fluency in both French and English is required. College diploma in Business Administration, Accounting, Payroll, or a related field preferred. CPP or FPC/FPP certification is an asset.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on payroll professional who can independently manage the full Canadian payroll cycle and confidently navigate Canadian tax, compliance, and provincial requirements. This person should be comfortable working directly in Workday to process payroll rather than relying primarily on an outsourced payroll provider. Strong attention to detail, bilingual communication skills, and the ability to serve as a trusted resource for Canadian payroll questions are critical to success in this role. Equal Opportunity Notice Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR@vaco.com .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.

Privacy Notice Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.

Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.

Residents of all other states may access our policies here.

Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.

Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice 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; and

· other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. 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).