Payroll director

FUNCTION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Vice President of Finance, the Payroll Director is responsible for the strategy, governance, and optimization of payroll operations across international entities (Canada, United States, United Kingdom). They lead the payroll team, ensure regulatory compliance, and act as a key partner to Human Resources and Finance to guarantee efficient, secure, and scalable compensation management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead, mentor, engage, and develop a team of payroll professionals (approximately 5 people)
• Define the strategic direction of the payroll team in alignment with corporate objectives
• Collaborate closely with HR to ensure alignment of compensation policies and onboarding processes
• Oversee and participate in the full bi-weekly payroll cycle for Canadian, U.S., and U.K. entities, including expense account management
• Support the team in resolving anomalies or complex payroll cases
• Ensure legal and tax compliance of payroll processes, including remittances, T4, R1, W-2 forms, and other annual filings
• Implement robust internal controls and performance indicators to improve efficiency and accuracy
• Collaborate with HR in developing social programs and payroll-related policies
• Advise managers and internal partners on complex payroll and benefits issues
• Contribute to the optimization of payroll-related systems
• Actively participate in internal and external audits
• Take on any other responsibilities related to payroll and compensation (special projects, training, etc.)

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in administration, accounting, or a related field (recognized DEC or Bachelor's)
• Payroll certification such as Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) or Certified Payroll Manager (CPM) is a strong asset
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a payroll management role, including team supervision
• Strong knowledge of tax regulations related to payroll (e.g., taxable benefits) and general labor standards
• Good understanding of payroll-related accounting (journal entries, account reconciliation) is an asset
• Proficiency in payroll systems and specialized software (knowledge of SAP and Dayforce is a strong asset); highly skilled in Excel
• Familiarity with Kronos for time management is an asset
• Excellent ability to manage stress, priorities, and tight deadlines
• Bilingualism (French and English) required, both spoken and written
• Inspiring leadership, strong ethics, discretion, autonomy, and a high regard for teamwork
• Strong communication skills, cross-functional collaboration, and complex problem-solving abilities
• Experience in a high-volume, international environment