Senior Payroll Analyst/Lead POST NUMBER: 476705

Payroll Manager (U.S. & Canada)

Position Summary

Reporting to the Financial Controller, the Payroll Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing the end?to?end payroll function for employees in the United States and Canada. This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing for both non?union employees and a portion of the Canadian workforce covered by collective bargaining agreements.

The Payroll Manager serves as the organization’s payroll subject matter expert, owning payroll governance, compliance, systems, and vendor relationships. This position partners closely with Human Resources and Finance to ensure payroll operations scale effectively, risks are mitigated, and payroll data supports sound business decisions.

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Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management & Oversight

• Own and manage the full payroll lifecycle for U.S. and Canadian employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Oversee payroll processing through ADP, including earnings, deductions, garnishments, benefits, bonuses, commissions, leaves of absence, and terminations.
• Act as escalation point for complex payroll issues, discrepancies, and employee inquiries.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with U.S. federal and state laws and Canadian federal and provincial payroll regulations.
• Accurately interpret and apply Canadian collective bargaining agreements, including wage rates, step progressions, premiums, and dues deductions.
• Manage prevailing wage requirements, certified payroll submissions, and statutory reporting where applicable.
• Lead payroll audit support, including internal audits, external audits, and regulatory or statutory reviews.

Year?End & Statutory Reporting

• Manage all annual payroll compliance activities, including year?end reporting and filings (e.g., W?2, T4).
• Oversee payroll tax filings and coordination with ADP, external brokers, and regulatory agencies.
• Ensure timely resolution of payroll tax discrepancies and agency notices.

Financial Controls & Reporting

• Oversee payroll reconciliations, benefit deductions, accruals, and variance analysis.
• Manage weekly 401(k) remittances and support annual compliance testing.
• Ensure strong internal controls, audit trails, data integrity, and payroll system security.
• Maintain and document payroll standard operating procedures and internal controls.

Process Improvement & Systems Ownership

• Identify and implement process improvements to increase payroll efficiency, accuracy, and standardization.
• Serve as payroll system owner for ADP, partnering with HRIS, Finance, and IT on upgrades, configurations, and integrations.
• Contribute to payroll ecosystem redesigns and the adoption of best practices.

Leadership & Partnership

• Serve as the primary payroll liaison to Human Resources, Finance, auditors, and external vendors.
• Provide payroll expertise, reporting, and insights to support workforce planning and cost analysis.
• Perform other duties consistent with the responsibilities of a Payroll Manager in a corporation of comparable size and complexity.

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Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive payroll experience, with ownership of payroll operations
• Hands?on experience using ADP payroll systems
• Direct experience administering Canadian payroll, including knowledge of federal and provincial regulations
• Experience supporting both union and non?union workforces, including application of Canadian collective bargaining agreements
• Strong understanding of U.S. federal and state payroll laws and tax requirements

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. 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. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.