Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Soufflet Malt Family of Companies•Calgary, AB

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Payroll & Benefits Administrator is the organization's subject matter expert for payroll and benefits administration in Canada. Reporting to the Human Resources Director – Canada, this individual contributor role is responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of end-to-end payroll, employee benefits, pension, and related HR operational processes for approximately 250 unionized and non-unionized employees across multiple Canadian locations. As the primary point of contact for payroll and benefits, the Payroll & Benefits Administrator partners closely with employees, leaders, Finance, external vendors, and the broader Human Resources team to ensure an exceptional employee experience while maintaining compliance with the Canada Labour Code, CRA requirements, provincial legislation, collective agreements, and company policies. This role combines technical expertise, operational excellence, systems administration, and continuous process improvement. The successful candidate thrives in a deadline-driven environment, takes ownership of complex processes, and proactively identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, controls, and the employee experience. While focused on Canadian operations, this position also collaborates with the North American and Global HR teams on projects, initiatives, and the implementation of global HR programs.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of progressive Canadian payroll and benefits administration experience.
Experience processing full-cycle payroll in a multi-site organization.
Experience supporting both unionized and non-unionized workforces.
Experience administering disability, leave management, pension, and group benefit programs.
Advanced knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, CRA requirements, employment standards, taxation, and payroll compliance.
Strong understanding of federally regulated employment requirements and collective agreement administration.
Expertise administering group benefits, pension plans, disability programs, and leave administration.
Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to consistently deliver accurate work under tight deadlines.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with excellent judgment.
Advanced organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities.
High degree of integrity, discretion, and professionalism when handling confidential employee information.
Strong customer service orientation with the ability to communicate complex payroll and benefits information clearly and effectively.
Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across HR, Finance, Operations, and external partners.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; experience with reporting and data analysis is an asset.
Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation through the National Payroll Institute required or in progress.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within a federally regulated environment is strongly preferred.
Experience with Dayforce or similar enterprise HRIS/payroll systems is considered a strong asset.
Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation considered an asset.
French language skills are considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Own the full-cycle bi-weekly payroll process for approximately 250 unionized and non-unionized employees, ensuring payroll is processed accurately, on time, and in compliance with all applicable legislation and collective agreements.
Process all payroll transactions including new hires, promotions, transfers, salary changes, overtime, shift premiums, bonuses, terminations, retroactive payments, and off-cycle payrolls.
Audit payroll data each pay period, investigate discrepancies, and resolve issues proactively before payroll processing.
Calculate and administer taxable benefits, earnings adjustments, deductions, garnishments, union dues, and statutory remittances.
Prepare Records of Employment (ROEs), year-end tax reporting including T4s, Relevé 1s, and other required government reporting.
Ensure payroll tax remittances, Workers' Compensation premiums, and other statutory obligations are completed accurately and within required timelines.
Monitor vacation accruals, statutory holiday pay, leaves of absence, disability payments, and payroll balances.
Prepare payroll reports, reconciliations, journal entry support, accruals, and other reporting for Finance and leadership.
Maintain strong payroll controls and ensure compliance with internal audit requirements.
Administer employee benefit and pension programs throughout the employee lifecycle, including enrollments, changes, leaves, disability cases, reinstatements, retirements, and terminations.
Ensure employees are enrolled in the appropriate benefit and pension plans in accordance with eligibility requirements, collective agreements, and company policies.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers regarding benefit, pension, payroll deductions, and leave-related inquiries.
Coordinate with benefit providers, disability carriers, pension administrators, payroll vendors, and external stakeholders to resolve issues and maintain accurate records.
Reconcile benefit invoices, premium payments, payroll deductions, and vendor records to ensure accuracy.
Support disability management and return-to-work administration in partnership with Human Resources.
Coordinate annual benefit renewals, employee communications, and ongoing program administration.
Serve as the primary Dayforce administrator and subject matter expert for payroll, benefits, and time management functionality.
Maintain accurate employee records and ensure HRIS data integrity through regular audits and reconciliations.
Support onboarding and offboarding activities including employee data setup, system changes, payroll configuration, benefit enrollments, and documentation.
Develop and maintain payroll procedures, checklists, and documentation to ensure consistency, compliance, and business continuity.
Organize and maintain confidential electronic employee records and payroll documentation.
Provide training and support to employees and managers on payroll, benefits, HRIS functionality, and self-service tools.
Monitor changes to Canadian payroll legislation, taxation, employment standards, pension requirements, and federal regulatory requirements, ensuring organizational compliance.
Interpret and administer payroll-related provisions contained within collective agreements.
Maintain payroll, benefit, and pension policies, procedures, and internal controls.
Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, automate manual activities, and enhance operational efficiency.
Participate in payroll audits, compliance reviews, HR projects, and cross-functional initiatives.
Collaborate with Canadian, North American, and Global HR teams to support system enhancements, policy implementation, and organizational initiatives.
Perform other related duties as assigned.