Payroll Team Lead

Job description

The Payroll Team Lead is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the payroll function while leading a team of Payroll & Benefits Analysts. This role ensures the accurate and timely processing of payroll across a large group of companies, maintains compliance with applicable legislation, collective agreements, and company policies, and serves as the primary escalation point for payroll-related matters. The Payroll Team Lead provides coaching, guidance, and performance management to the payroll team, while driving continuous process improvements, maintaining strong internal controls, and fostering a high-performing, customer-focused environment. The successful candidate will possess strong leadership, analytical, organizational, and communication skills, and will thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Responsibilities

- Lead, coach, and develop the payroll team, fostering a collaborative, accountable, and service-focused environment

- Oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll across multiple companies, both in Canada and U.S.

- Review payroll activity, audits, remittances, and reporting to ensure compliance with legislation, collective agreements, and company policies

- Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll, benefits, and timekeeping matters, applying sound judgment and an understanding of operational realities to resolve issues effectively

- Ensure the accurate administration of employee setups, changes, terminations, garnishments, and union-related processes

- Partner with HR, Finance, Operations, and external stakeholders to understand business priorities, resolve payroll related issues and improve service delivery

- Identify and implement process improvements, system enhancements, and best practices to drive efficiency and accuracy

- Monitor team performance, manage priorities, and support achievement of departmental objectives

- Build and maintain strong relationships with operations and management by taking time to understand the nature of the work, business flows, and employee experience across the companies supported

- Additional duties as assigned

Qualifications

- Post-secondary education in Business, Accounting, or a related field is considered an asset

- Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation

- 5+ years of payroll experience, preferably in a large, multi-company and/or unionized environment

- Previous leadership, supervisory, or team lead experience

- Experience working with payroll and timekeeping systems such as JD Edwards (JDE), UKG Dimensions (Kronos), or similar platforms

- Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, payroll taxes, remittances, and collective agreements

- Proven ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment

- U.S. payroll knowledge is considered an asset

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills

- Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities