Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Role Summary

As the Canadian Payroll & Benefits Specialist, your role is responsible for the end-to-end administration of Canadian payroll and employee benefits, balancing technical excellence with a strong commitment to service, trust, and compliance.

As a trusted steward of highly sensitive employee information, the Payroll & Benefits Specialist exercises sound judgment, exceptional attention to detail, and a People First mindset in every interaction. The role partners closely with People Operations, HR Business Partners, Finance, and external vendors to uphold strong controls, maintain data integrity, and deliver a reliable, respectful, and positive employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing & Administration:

• Process end-to-end Canadian payroll on a bi-weekly basis for hourly and salaried employees.
• Calculate and process regular earnings, bonuses, commissions, retroactive pay, statutory deductions, and other payroll adjustments.
• Compile, review, and validate payroll inputs, including vacation pay, leaves of absence, garnishments, and statutory deductions.
• Ensure payroll data accuracy, completeness, and compliance prior to payroll submission.
• Maintain and update payroll records for new hires, terminations, and employee status changes.
• Reconcile and validate statutory remittances (CPP, EI, income tax) to ensure compliance with CRA requirements.
• Reconcile employer payroll obligations, including EHT and WSIB, ensuring accurate reporting and remittance.
• Issue Records of Employment (ROEs) and support year-end processing, including preparation and reconciliation of T4s and RL-1s (where applicable).
• Respond to employee and manager payroll inquiries in a timely, professional, and service-oriented manner.

Benefits Administration:

• Administer employee benefits programs, including health, dental, vision, disability, and retirement (RRSP/DPSP).
• Manage benefit enrollments, changes, and terminations in coordination with vendors and carriers.
• Maintain accurate benefits records and ensure deductions are correctly reflected in payroll.
• Reconcile monthly benefits and insurance invoices and investigate discrepancies.
• Act as a primary point of contact for employee questions related to benefits eligibility, enrollment, and coverage.
• Support onboarding by guiding new hires through payroll and benefits enrollment.

Compliance, Reporting & Reconciliations:

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and provincial payroll legislation and employment standards.
• Stay current on changes to Canadian payroll legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare payroll and benefits reports for internal stakeholders, audits, and reviews.
• Support internal and external payroll or benefits audits, including documentation and controls testing.
• Partner with Finance on payroll and benefits reconciliations and general ledger support.

Systems, Change Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Maintain accurate employee payroll and benefits data within HRIS and payroll systems (ADP Workforce Now preferred; system of record).
• Coordinate with external vendors, insurers, and financial institutions regarding payroll and benefits updates.
• Partner with HRBPs to ensure payroll-impacting data is accurate, approved, and properly documented.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and support system enhancements or upgrades.
• Participate in onboarding and orientation sessions to support new hires.

Change Management:

• Support payroll and benefit changes resulting from system enhancements, policy updates, legislative changes, benefit renewals, or organizational growth.
• Partner with People Operations, Finance, and vendors to ensure changes are implemented accurately and with minimal disruption.
• Translate payroll and benefits changes into clear, employee-focused communications.
• Participate in testing, validation, and post-implementation reconciliation activities.

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Post-secondary education in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of Canadian payroll and benefits administration experience, preferably in a multi-provincial or fast-paced environment.

Certifications:

• PCP (Payroll Compliance Practitioner) designation from the National Payroll Institute is preferred.

Technical & Professional Skills:

• Strong working knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, CRA requirements, and statutory deductions.
• Hands-on experience with payroll and HRIS systems (ADP Workforce Now is preferential).
• Strong Excel skills and comfort working with payroll reports and reconciliations.
• High attention to detail with a strong data validation and control mindset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a customer-focused approach.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

TRAFFIX gives equal consideration for a job and terms and conditions of employment to all individuals and that the employer does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability or sex including sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.