Bilingual Payroll Specialist, (French/English)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist - Canada & Workday to join a growing Payroll team. This position will take ownership of end-to-end Canadian payroll processing while also providing support for U.S. payroll activities during non-Canadian payroll weeks. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience processing Canadian payroll, a deep understanding of Canadian payroll legislation and compliance requirements, and proven experience processing payroll end-to-end within Workday. Fluency in both French and English is required, as this individual will serve as a primary point of contact for Canadian payroll.

Responsibilities

• Process all aspects of biweekly Canadian payroll for 500+ employees.
• Provide support for U.S. payroll activities during non-Canadian payroll processing weeks.
• Process payroll end-to-end within Workday, including data entry, validation, reconciliation, and final processing.
• Transfer and validate data between timekeeping and payroll systems.
• Review payroll pre-checks, reconciliation reports, and audit reports to ensure accuracy.
• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies involving earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, and withholdings.
• Serve as a primary payroll contact for Canadian employees and internal business partners.
• Maintain compliance with Canadian federal and provincial payroll legislation, with particular emphasis on Québec, Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
• Manage Records of Employment (ROEs) in accordance with applicable Canadian requirements.
• Administer statutory deductions, wage garnishments, taxable benefits, retirement contributions, benefit deductions, and other payroll-related changes.
• Support payroll requirements related to statutory leaves, vacation pay, disability programs, and other Canadian legislative requirements.
• Prepare and reconcile year-end payroll requirements, including T4s, RL-1s, summaries, amendments, and other applicable filings.
• Assist with U.S. year-end payroll activities, including W-2s and related reporting.
• Conduct payroll-related tax research and assist with work/resident-based tax questions.
• Support internal and external payroll audits by providing documentation, reports, reconciliations, and other required information.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and protect the accuracy and integrity of sensitive payroll information.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll, timekeeping, reporting, and compliance processes.
• Develop payroll and ad hoc reports within Workday when needed.
• Partner closely with Human Resources and other departments to resolve employee payroll-related issues.

Qualifications

• 3-5+ years of hands-on payroll processing experience, with significant experience supporting Canadian payroll.
• Proven experience processing end-to-end payroll within Workday; experience using Workday strictly as an HRIS or data-entry platform is not sufficient.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll laws, regulations, taxation, and compliance requirements.
• Strong understanding of Québec payroll requirements and experience with multiple Canadian provinces.
• Thorough knowledge of Records of Employment (ROE) processes.
• Experience with Canadian workers' compensation requirements and various provincial workers' compensation organizations.
• Knowledge of Canadian federal and provincial tax filing and year-end requirements.
• Experience with a Canadian payroll population of 500+ employees is highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of payroll tax research and work/resident-based taxation.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to manage confidential information with a high degree of discretion and accuracy.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Fluency in both French and English is required.
• College diploma in Business Administration, Accounting, Payroll, or a related field preferred.
• CPP or FPC/FPP certification is an asset.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on payroll professional who can independently manage the full Canadian payroll cycle and confidently navigate Canadian tax, compliance, and provincial requirements. This person should be comfortable working directly in Workday to process payroll rather than relying primarily on an outsourced payroll provider. Strong attention to detail, bilingual communication skills, and the ability to serve as a trusted resource for Canadian payroll questions are critical to success in this role.