Senior Payroll Specialist

Location: Toronto or Windsor, ON Hybrid (Hybrid, 2 days per week in office)

Language: English, professional written and verbal communication required

Duration: 12-Month Contract with possibility to extend to permanent. 

Background Check Requirement: Reference checks required

About the Opportunity
An established Canadian health and benefits organization is seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to play a critical role in one of its most important transformation initiatives. As the organization prepares for a major Workday Payroll implementation, you'll provide the technical leadership and payroll expertise needed to ensure a successful testing phase, seamless go-live, and ongoing operational stability.

Working closely with Payroll, HRIS, Finance, implementation partners, and business stakeholders, you'll lead complex payroll validation activities while mentoring internal payroll professionals and strengthening payroll processes. This is an opportunity to influence a high-profile enterprise initiative where your expertise will directly contribute to organizational success.

What’s In It for You
• Join a high-impact transformation initiative with strong executive visibility
• Work alongside experienced HRIS, Payroll, Finance, and project teams
• Opportunity to influence payroll best practices and support long-term modernization
• Flexible remote work environment within Canada
• Competitive compensation with the possibility of transitioning into a permanent leadership opportunity
• Collaborative culture that values expertise, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing

Your Responsibilities
• You'll lead end-to-end Workday Payroll activities, from payroll validation and processing through reconciliation, posting, and post-payroll review
• You'll oversee payroll parallel testing, variance analysis, defect triage, root-cause investigation, and go-live readiness activities
• You'll validate payroll results across multiple jurisdictions, employee groups, and unionized environments, ensuring compliance and accuracy
• You'll partner with Payroll, HRIS, Finance, Benefits, Time Tracking, Integrations, and implementation partners to resolve complex payroll issues
• You'll support payroll configuration reviews, payroll accounting outputs, and workforce management integrations, including time and attendance systems
• You'll provide mentorship and technical guidance to internal payroll professionals while promoting knowledge transfer and operational excellence
• You'll manage priorities, timelines, risks, and stakeholder communications throughout testing, cutover, and post-go-live stabilization

Skills and Qualifications
• 7+ years of progressive Canadian payroll experience with demonstrated ownership of end-to-end payroll operations
• Minimum 4 years of hands-on Workday Payroll experience is preferred, although exceptional senior payroll professionals with slightly less experience will be considered
• Proven experience supporting at least one successful Workday Payroll implementation through testing, cutover, go-live, and stabilization
• Strong understanding of Canadian payroll legislation, including Ontario and Quebec payroll requirements
• Experience processing payroll in unionized environments, with Unifor experience considered a strong asset
• Certified Payroll Professional (PCP, PLP, or equivalent Canadian payroll designation)
• Advanced Excel skills, including reconciliations, large data analysis, pivot tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, and payroll variance reporting
• Experience with payroll integrations, workforce management platforms such as UKG, Kronos, Verint, NiCE, or similar solutions is highly desirable
• Strong analytical, project management, stakeholder management, and communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams

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.