Payroll and Accounting Specialist

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

**Roll Mandate**

The Payroll and Accounting Specialist reports to the Director, Finance. This role has two primary areas of responsibility - payroll (and benefits accounting) and general accounting. The split between both areas is approximately 50/50 and will vary based on seasonal and compliance cycles.

The successful incumbent is a strong communicator who can clearly articulate and clarify payroll / benefits / accounting procedures. This individual must be able to communicate confidently with partners, employees, and external vendors. This is a mid-level 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 accounting 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 accounting figures.

This role requires an individual who is highly flexible and adaptable to juggling between payroll / benefits and various accounting tasks, sometimes in short order. A ‘roll with it’ attitude and ability to pivot with ease is critical. Strong organizational, time management, and planning skills are essential.

This role interacts with both senior management and non-management employees, in addition to external vendors and service providers. A typical day sees the Specialist working closely with members of the Administration and Finance teams, in addition to other internal support departments.

**Key Responsibilities**

The core responsibilities and tasks for this role are provided below:
**General Accounting**:

- Support process regarding monthly interest on capital loans
- Processing Credit Card payments for clients’ retainers and accounts
- Monitors A/R and reserve amounts, escalates issues, and provides regular reserve account reporting; update and reconcile with related systems
- Identifies and processes payments to various vendors / suppliers / independent contractors
- Facilitate the reimbursement / payment of professional learning courses, conferences, etc.
- Provide support with a range of account receivable and payable matters
- Pay eligible professional membership fees on behalf of employees
- 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
- Provide back-up support for e-transfers, wires, and direct deposits
- Collection, review, and analysis of various accounting matters
- Provide input on accounting process enhancement opportunities
- Special accounting projects as required

**Payroll**:

- 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
- 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 (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
- Prepare various journal entries to account for payroll entries and make corrections as required
- 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
- Review payroll and benefits invoices and facilitate payments
- 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
- Ensu