Payroll Specialist

Thomson Rogers is a leading Toronto Litigation Law Firm. We are currently looking for a Payroll Specialist, with a minimum 4 years’ experience in a designated payroll position.

**Roll Mandate**

The Payroll Specialist reports to the Director, Finance and is responsible for providing guidance to employees and People Leaders on a range of Payroll (and Benefits) specialty areas.

The successful incumbent is a strong communicator who can clearly articulate and clarify payroll / benefits procedures. This individual must be able to communicate confidently with partners, employees, and external vendors. This is a mid-level HR role that requires an individual who can both take direction and execute tasks and is also self-directed and can advise others in the company on payroll (and benefits) matters. This role requires a person with strong analytical and financial skills, along with an excellent attention to detail to ensure the accuracy of payroll and benefits figures. This role interacts with both senior management and non-management employees, in addition to external vendors and service providers. A typical day sees the Payroll Specialist working closely with members of the Administration and Finance teams, in addition to other internal support departments.

**Key Responsibilities**

Payroll Processes are described along four primary categories. Specific tasks and responsibilities for the Payroll Specialist role will be described in the context of those categories below.

**Payroll Function / Leadership**
- Liaise with payroll and benefits vendors (service levels, escalations, queries)
- Respond to employee and management payroll / benefits questions
- Identify and suggest process improvement opportunities
- Support payroll reporting processes

**Payroll Process Administration**
- Set up payroll profiles, including deductions and earnings
- Input payroll amounts (positive time reporting for hourly employees, exception time for full time employees - e.g., vacation pay, overtime, casual sick days)
- Input or prepare bulk entry spreadsheet (e.g., bonus, cost of living increase)
- Calculate and input pay adjustments (e.g., mid-cycle starts, retro pay, corrections, sick days)
- Update employee profiles (e.g., annual salary adjustments, department changes)
- Calculate and input vacations and leaves
- Process final pay for separations (e.g., employee initiated, firm initiated)
- Request Record of Employments
- Diarize and activate future-dated payroll and benefits items / entries
- Support the SUB and LTD documentation process

**Payroll / Treasury Accounting**
- Prepare various journal entries to account for payroll entries
- Prepare intercompany general ledger entries (Thomson Rogers and HMP)
- Transfer payroll funding to bank for distribution of employee payroll
- Support the production of manual cheques
- Facilitate payroll and benefits payments (EI, CPP, EHT, WSIB, SUB)
- Facilitate payroll payments for employee Group RRSP contribution
- Support the Partner Draw process
- Prepare payment for independent contractors
- Pay eligible professional membership fees on behalf of employees
- Correct payroll-related G/L entries
- Facilitate the reimbursement / payment of professional learning courses, conferences, etc.
- Review payroll and benefits invoices and facilitate payments

**Audit and Reconciliation**
- Review and verify payroll prior to processing on a pay period basis
- Conduct year-end payroll reconciliation (e.g., T4’s, corporate statutory remittances, retro amounts)
- Year-end payroll adjustments and payments
- Investigate and correct payroll errors

**Benefits Administration (Interim Period)**
- Submit benefits information to provider to help set up profiles
- Liaise with service provider to ensure effective and ongoing maintenance of the group benefits plan
- Review and facilitate payment of the group benefits invoice
- Ensure benefits are initiated and terminated in a timely and accurate fashion
- Facilitate benefits carrier paid sick leave (LTD) process (e.g., form completion)

**General Accounting**
- Support process regarding monthly interest on capital loans
- Processing Credit Card payments for clients’ retainers and accounts
- Provide clients upon request with a ‘Statement of Accounts and Payments’
- Coordinate file transfers to other law firms
- Prepare general ledger entries for general finance transactions
- Provide reserves and receivables amounts to Partners

**Education and Experience**
- Minimum 4 years’ experience in a designated Payroll role
- Previous benefits administration experience, an asset
- Previous experience working in the legal industry preferred
- Experience working with HR, payroll, and benefits systems (e.g., Ceridian, Blue Cross)
- Bachelor’s degree
- Professional payroll designation (through Canadian Payroll Association)

**Core Competencies**
- Effective Communications - able to communicate clearly, with empathy, and using a high level of emotional intelligence