Senior Payroll Specialist

Location: Squamish, BC(Hybird- 3 days onsite/2 days from home)
Language: English, with strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills required
Background Check Requirement: Yes

About the Opportunity
An established public sector organization in British Columbia is seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to lead a complex, high-volume payroll function while supporting broader financial operations. This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible leadership role where your expertise will directly support employees, operational excellence, and long-term organizational success.

Working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams, you will oversee payroll operations for both exempt and unionized employees while contributing to financial reporting, compliance, and process improvement initiatives. This role is ideal for a collaborative leader who values accuracy, accountability, and building strong relationships across the organization.

What’s In It for You
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• A stable permanent opportunity with leadership responsibilities and long-term growth potential
• Meaningful work within a values-driven public sector environment
• Exposure to strategic financial operations, labour relations, and organizational planning
• A workplace culture that values collaboration, integrity, and continuous improvement

Your Responsibilities
• You’ll lead the full-cycle payroll function for unionized and exempt employees, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and confidentiality
• In this role, you’ll oversee payroll legislation compliance, collective agreement administration, and year-end payroll processes
• You’ll provide leadership and mentorship to payroll staff through coaching, performance management, and day-to-day operational guidance
• You’ll support financial reporting activities, reconciliations, journal entries, and complex financial analysis and forecasting
• You’ll act as a trusted advisor to leadership teams on payroll policies, procedures, and escalated payroll matters
• In this role, you’ll contribute to audits, software enhancements, and continuous process improvement initiatives
• You’ll collaborate with HR and operational leaders on labour relations matters, bargaining support, and payroll-related reporting

Skills and Qualifications
• 5+ years of progressive accounting and payroll experience within a multi-union environment
• 5+ years of supervisory or leadership experience managing teams and operational priorities
• CPA designation and undergraduate degree in Commerce or a related field
• Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, BC payroll regulations, and Federal Income Tax requirements
• Advanced Excel skills along with ERP and payroll systems experience
• Exceptional communication, analytical, and presentation skills with the ability to support senior leadership
• Ability to manage sensitive information with discretion while balancing multiple deadlines and priorities

Note from the Hiring Manager
“We’re looking for someone who brings both technical expertise and a collaborative mindset. This role is a great fit for a leader who enjoys improving processes, supporting people, and contributing to a strong team environment.”

Why Partner with Altis
If you’ve never worked with a staffing agency before, we make it easy. We work with top employers across Canada who have great jobs to fill, each vetted and verified by our team. When you apply for a job with Altis, we get to know you as a candidate and learn what your strengths are. Then, if you’re a solid match, we handle all the logistics, advocating for you as a candidate for the role, providing access to coaching and connecting you directly with the hiring manager. And rest assured, all our services are free of cost for candidates.

We appreciate the time and effort all applicants invest in their submissions. Please note that only candidates shortlisted for this role will be contacted directly. However, your profile will remain under consideration for future opportunities that align with your experience and career goals. All qualified applicants will receive fair consideration for employment. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities including those who identify as women, members of racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. If you require an accommodation, please review our accessibility policy and reach out to our accessibility officer with any questions. Our human recruiters review all applications and always make the final hiring decision. On occasion, we also use AI-assisted tools to help review applications.