Senior Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Position: Senior Payroll & Benefits Specialist Location: Toronto, ON Job Type: 3-month contract (January 5 to April 5, 2026) Structure: Hybrid (2 days per week on-site) Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday Our client, a provincial government agency, is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll & Benefits Specialist to join their Human Resources team. This role is ideal for a payroll professional with deep expertise in Workday, Ontario payroll legislation, year-end reporting, and benefits administration. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring accurate, timely payroll delivery, compliance, and analytics for a respected public-sector organization known for its collaborative and high-performing culture. Top Non-Negotiables: Direct Payroll System Experience (Workday Preferred)- Must have hands-on payroll processing experience in Workday (highest priority). - Ceridian or ADP accepted if Workday experience is not available. Ontario Payroll & Benefits Experience (100+ Employees)- Must have end-to-end payroll and benefits experience for Ontario-based employers with at least 100+ employees. - Includes employee life-cycle transactions such as STD top-ups, maternity/paternity leave, disability, bonuses, and one-time payments. Strong Technical & Year-End Expertise - Mandatory: T4 year-end experience, Employer Health Tax (EHT), PSPP/RPP pension knowledge, and benefits administration. - Must be proficient in Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables), data analysis, reconciliation, and auditing reports. - Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with HR and Finance. Key Responsibilities: Payroll & Benefits Administration - Lead end-to-end biweekly payroll processing using Workday HCM. - Administer pension and benefits programs, liaise with providers, and resolve inquiries. - Ensure compliance with CRA regulations, ESA legislation, and audit requirements. - Conduct payroll, time, and attendance audits; investigate discrepancies and manage remittances. - Support T4/T4A processing, pension adjustments, Public Sector Salary Disclosure reporting, vacation liability reconciliation, and benefits reconciliations. - Maintain payroll/benefits process documentation and support intranet content accuracy. Financial Reconciliation & Reporting - Lead biweekly, monthly, and quarterly reconciliation of payroll, benefits, and pension accounts with Finance. - Prepare severance accruals and support accurate general ledger postings. - Develop and deliver standard and ad hoc reports for compliance, audits, and leadership decision-making. - Oversee statutory filings (T4s, EHT, CPP, EI, pension adjustments). - Monitor Workday data integrity and ensure audit readiness. Employee Support & Stakeholder Collaboration - Act as a subject matter expert and escalation point for payroll, benefits, and pension matters. - Collaborate with HR leadership, business partners, and cross-functional teams to resolve issues and enhance processes. - Support policy updates, internal guidelines, and employee communications. - Partner with external vendors to facilitate workshops and benefits education sessions. - Provide guidance and specialist-level support to the Payroll & Benefits Administrator. Compliance, Insights & Continuous Improvement - Maintain awareness of regulatory changes, audit controls, and payroll best practices. - Support Workday technical configuration and system integrations. - Recommend process improvements and operational efficiencies. - Contribute to monthly HR dashboard reporting and analytics. Qualifications: - 5–7 years of progressive payroll and benefits experience (will consider strong candidates with slightly less). - Minimum 3 years of direct Workday payroll experience required. - PCP certification (completed or in progress); PLP an asset. - Post-secondary education in Payroll, Accounting, or Human Resources. - Experience with defined benefit pension plans is an asset. - Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables). - Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate with HR, Finance, and stakeholders. - Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to manage competing priorities. - Strong analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving abilities. - Ability to work independently, handle confidential data, and make informed decisions. Please send your resume in Word format to Vandana Desai at vandana.desai@quantum.ca. REFER AND EARN A $50 GIFT CARD For more details, click here .