Payroll and Benefits Specialist

**The company**
BOORTMALT is a leading malting company with 3 million tonnes production capacity. The group is present on 5 continents with 27 malting plants. Boortmalt's expertise is widely acknowledged by brewers and distillers who rely on the supply of top quality barley malt. The Boortmalt Group is a fully owned subsidiary of the agricultural and agribusiness cooperative Axereal. Our relationship with Axereal, Europe's largest grain cooperative, ensures us access to high quality barley year round.

**The job**
The Payroll and Benefits Specialist will manage the company's payroll and benefits function for the US and Canada, ensuring payroll is processed on time and accurately. This position is also responsible for the management, oversight, and administration of current employee benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, FSA, HSA, and 401k plans for the US and RPP and RRSP for Canada. As payroll and benefits specialist for the US and Canada, you will be based in Biggar, reporting directly to the Managing Director of the region.

Your responsibilities will include:

- Manage the company’s payroll and benefits function, ensuring payroll is processed on time and accurately
- Set up and manage the payroll system, process, procedures, and policies for the US and CAN entity
- Implement, maintain, and revise payroll processing systems to ensure timely and accurate processing of payroll transactions including salaries, benefits, garnishments, taxes, and other deductions.
- Ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll updates including new hires, terminations, and changes to pay rates.
- Design and manage the benefit programs for the salaried and non-salaried employees
- Prepare and maintain accurate records and reports of payroll transactions.
- Review and process quarterly and/or year-end payroll procedures, including reviewing tax statements and other applicable quarterly and year-end documents
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, wage, and hour laws and best practices.
- Thoroughly understand the process and calculations for unemployment taxes in all relevant states
- Manage benefit programs such as 401k, medical, dental, vision, life, voluntary life, and flexible spending plans
- Manage monthly billings from insurance providers and other vendors, including review billings for accuracy, codes, and advance for payment
- Facilitate audits by providing records and documentation to auditors.
- Collect experience/census data from available resources (as needed).
- Evaluate and revise internal processes to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
- Ensure compliance with applicable government regulations.
- Enrolments, COBRA, terminations, changes, beneficiaries, disability, accident, and death claims.
- Manage the employee benefit files and updating of employee payroll records.
- Serve as liaison with outside benefit providers to resolve escalated issues, identify root cause and trends, and determine alternative solutions.
- Manage the HR Information System data
- Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned by management

**Who you are**
To successfully manage this role, we are seeking the following qualifications:

- Minimum 5 years experience in payroll, compensation and benefits - experience required in both the US and Canadian context
- A proven experience in an HR role, preferably in an international environment
- Bachelor or associates degree in HR or business administration
- Strong payroll system skills and excellent logic and analytical skills
- Maintains a high degree of confidentiality and integrity
- Team player and good organizational and leadership capabilities
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Speaks and writes fluently in English.
- Strong Excel skills: Pivot Table, V-Lookups, filters, etc
- Excellent logic and analytical abilities
- Strong organization aptitude and attention to detail
- Solid understanding of payroll and payroll tax laws in both a Canadian and US context
- Strong knowledge of various benefit programs
- Demonstrated reliability with excellent time-management skills
- Works well under pressure of deadlines
- Knowledge of all pertinent federal and state regulations, filing and compliance requirements both adopted and pending affecting employee benefit programs, including COBRA, Workers Compensation, Medicare, and Social Security requirements.

**What we offer**

We offer an attractive salary and benefits package and as part of a global organization can offer career opportunities internationally. As Masters of Malt we want to be a great employer, focusing on flexibility, inclusion, collaboration and health and wellbeing. We live our values, putting people at the heart of what we do.

“**Strive**” - our ambition is to be the best maltster that's why every day we commit to challenge ourselves to achieve the highest level.

“**Care**” - our strength is magnificent when we care for our earth, our colleagues and our business part