Payroll & Benefits Specialist (Contract)

Position Overview    

We are seeking a detail-oriented Payroll and Benefits Coordinator to support the day-to-day administration of payroll, benefits, retirement, and employee programs. This role provides front-line support to employees and managers, coordinates routine transactions, maintains employee records, and assists with payroll and benefits processes to ensure accurate and timely service delivery.
This is an existing vacancy.

Working under the guidance of the Payroll and Benefits Specialist and Leader, Total Rewards and Payroll, the Payroll and Benefits Coordinator follows established procedures, checklists, and service standards to ensure a consistent and positive employee experience.

The Payroll and Benefits Coordinator is responsible for managing shared team inboxes, responding to routine inquiries, processing standard transactions, maintaining documentation, and following established procedures and checklists. The successful candidate will possess strong customer service skills, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while handling confidential information with discretion.

This role provides an opportunity to develop payroll and benefits administration expertise and progress into more advanced payroll and benefits positions within the Total Rewards and Payroll team.
    
Duties and Responsibilities  

•  Own the day-to-day management of the shared Payroll and Benefits mailbox, including triaging inquiries, responding to routine requests, tracking outstanding items, and escalating complex matters as appropriate.
•  Monitor and manage the shared Payroll and Benefits mailbox and provide timely responses to routine inquiries.
•  Serve as a first point of contact for payroll, benefits, retirement, and HR-related administrative questions.
•  Process routine payroll and benefits transactions in accordance with established procedures and documented checklists.
•  Maintain departmental process checklists and ensure routine activities are completed in accordance with established timelines and procedures.
•  Support employee onboarding by coordinating payroll and benefits enrollment documentation and ensuring timely system updates.
•  Assist with employee terminations, leaves of absence, and status changes by preparing documentation and completing required system updates.
•  Coordinate employee benefit enrollments, plan changes, beneficiary updates, and terminations with insurance carriers and retirement providers.
•  Maintain accurate employee records and documentation within HR, payroll, and benefits systems.
•  Prepare and distribute employee communications, forms, statements, and program materials.
•  Assist employees with navigation of payroll, benefits, retirement, and vendor self-service platforms.
•  Track and maintain department calendars, deadlines, and recurring payroll and benefits activities.
•  Support the administration of retirement savings plans, employee share purchase plans, wellness programs, and other employee programs as assigned.
•  Assist with invoice processing, report preparation, and basic reconciliation activities.
•  Generate routine reports and maintain records required for audits, compliance reviews, and internal reporting.
•  Create and maintain process documentation, job aids, and administrative procedures.
•  Support the preparation of payroll and benefits documentation for review by the Payroll and Benefits Specialist.
•  Escalate complex payroll, benefits, retirement, or compliance-related matters to senior team members as appropriate.
•  Support annual processes and projects including open enrolment, benefits renewals, year-end payroll activities, employee communications, and data validation exercises.
•  Coordinate document collection and follow-up activities with employees, managers, vendors, and external partners.
•  Perform administrative tasks such as filing, records management, tracking requests, and maintaining departmental logs.
•  Participate in cross-training and development activities to build payroll and benefits administration knowledge.
•  Support special projects and initiatives within the Total Rewards and Payroll team as required.
        
Qualifications    
•  1-2 years of experience in payroll, benefits, HR administration, customer service, or a related administrative role.
•  Experience working in a professional office environment with responsibility for confidential information.
•  Strong customer service orientation and ability to communicate professionally with employees and managers.
•  Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
•  Ability to follow established processes, procedures, and checklists while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.
•  Strong written and verbal communication skills.
•  Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
•  Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Outlook, and Word.
•  Experience working with HRIS, payroll, or benefits administration systems is considered an asset.
•  Experience with Ceridian Dayforce is considered an asset.
•  PCP certification or enrollment in the National Payroll Institute PCP program is considered an asset.
•  Demonstrated interest in developing a career in payroll, benefits, and total rewards administration.
•  Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, or a related field is considered an asset.
•  Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.   

The expected annualized base salary range for this role is $60,000-$65,000. This is a temporary 6-month position.

The actual salary offered will take into consideration a wide array of factors including, but not limited to, the individual’s skill, experience, education and training, and the consideration of internal equity.