Payroll & Benefits Specialist

PAYROLL & BENEFITS SPECIALIST

CONTRIBUTING TO THE CMPA

The Finance department supports the CMPA’s mission and goals by safeguarding the Association’s assets through accurate and timely recording and stewardship of financial transactions. Operational Accounting is responsible for the CMPA’s day-to-day accounting operations, which consist of three main functions: accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll. The Payroll team is accountable for processing the bi-weekly payroll and benefits for the Association and its subsidiary.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist reports to the Team Lead, Payroll & Benefits, and takes full responsibility for all payroll activities including year-end activities, reporting, and reconciliation. The incumbent maintains a high degree of confidentiality, integrity, and accuracy and stays informed of provincial and federal legislative changes across Canada.

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist participates in the day-to-day processing, production, and reconciliation of payroll and related remittance transactions for employees, Council members, employee group benefits, benefit carriers, as well as federal and provincial agencies. The incumbent is also involved in developing and implementing policies and procedures for payroll and benefits administration.

POSITION ACTIVITIES

PAYROLL (Full-and part-time bi-weekly payrolls, payments to Council members for honoraria)

1. Responsible for processing payroll, time, absence, and remittances for bi-weekly pay period and pay groups (salaried, hourly, and Council) for CMPA.
2. Creates reports for analytical and reporting purposes for use by external auditors and management.
3. Processes all year-end pay activities (annual salary increases, T4s, pension adjustments, journal entries, accruals) and bi-weekly analysis and reconciliation of payroll register.

PENSIONS (Administration of employee and employer contributions to employee pension plans, including flex pension accounts, and annual reporting thereon)

1. Receives, calculates, and processes changes to individual member’s regular or flex pension contribution amounts, ensuring appropriate deduction and remittance of these amounts occurs on a timely basis.
2. Calculates and remits required employee and employer contributions and ensures correct payroll deductions for basic and flex pensions; remit contributions to reach the pension trustee before the end of each month.
3. Reconciles regular and flex pensions on a monthly and annual basis in preparation for the annual audit and T4 distribution.

BENEFITS (Dental, Extended Health Care, Group Life Insurance, Optional Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Registered Retirement Saving Plan and Canada Savings Plans)

1. Ensures coverage changes (hires, terminations, etc.) are entered accurately and timely into multiple web-based systems and manual systems.
2. Reconciles and remits benefit premiums for both employer and employee contributions and ensures that appropriate deductions and information appear on the pay register.
3. Reconciles all benefits-related general ledger accounts against pay register and ensures payable accounts are balanced each year-end.
4. Provides selected benefit carriers with participating employee annual renewal information for standard review of our policy.

GENERAL

1. Keeps current on benefits-related issues and trends by reviewing publications, attending seminars, and liaising with the People & Culture Department.
2. Assists with annual audits by preparing audit working papers for review by external auditors and acting as a resource person during on-site audits.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

1. Minimum 2 year college certificate or diploma in a related field of study (i.e. Finance, Accounting, etc.).
2. Minimum of 4 years of relevant Payroll experience in an automated environment with responsibility for all aspects of the payroll cycle, including monthly and year end reconciliation and reporting.
3. Certified Payroll Manager or Payroll Compliance Practitioner through the Canadian Payroll Association is required.
4. Experience working with large accounting system applications (experience with Workday Payroll is strongly preferred).
5. Knowledge of and experience with Income Tax legislations including place of employment rules is essential.
6. Strong skills with Microsoft Excel are required.
7. Demonstrated experience working with senior management, staff, and a variety of stakeholders within a high volume, deadline driven environment.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to interact with all levels of an organization with tact, diplomacy, and professionalism.
2. Effective time management and organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple competing priorities, meet deadlines, and perform efficiently.
3. Performs tasks seamlessly with an excellent attention to detail, having the ability to identify discrepancies.
4. Uses sound judgment and demonstrates proactive and creative approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capabilities.
5. Handles sensitive issues and confidential information with discretion.
6. Strong client relationship skills; ability to work with clients to identify needs and to investigate solutions.
7. Extensive knowledge of enterprise financial applications, including system administration functions.
8. Knowledge of benefit administration and pension legislation would be an asset.

POSTING DETAILS

1. Job Type: Regular full-time opportunity.
2. Salary Range: $69,700 to $93,200 – this role is classified as level 07.
3. Skills Assessment: Selected candidates may be required to complete a skills assessment.
4. Location: Fully Remote Job. You can work from a home-based office anywhere in the provinces of Ontario and Québec. If you prefer, you can choose to work out of CMPA’s office in Ottawa, ON near the beautiful Dow’s Lake.
5. Application Deadline: Monday, April 7, 2025 at 4:00PM EST.

The CMPA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to being responsive to those living with disabilities and strives to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility. The CMPA will provide support and accommodation in its recruitment processes to applicants living with disabilities. If you are invited to participate in an interview and/or skills assessment and have accommodation needs, please let us know.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is a key priority, and we actively strive to build a culture of inclusion where employees can be their authentic selves and are valued for their diverse experiences and perspectives.

We welcome and encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and a variety of lived experiences to apply.