Payroll & Accounting Specialist

About the role

Reporting to the Accounting Manager, this role is responsible for payroll administration across the United States and Canada while supporting accounting operations, reconciliations, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives. This position plays a critical role in ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while contributing to the overall financial accuracy and control environment of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Administer all North American payrolls, including U.S. bi-weekly payroll and Canadian semi-monthly payroll
• Process payroll adjustments, commissions, bonuses, deductions, garnishments, and taxable benefits
• Review and audit payroll information to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Maintain payroll records and documentation in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements
• Serve as a primary resource for employee payroll inquiries
• Support payroll tax administration, year-end activities, and regulatory reporting requirements
• Support payroll-related timekeeping processes and administration
• Review payroll input data and coordinate with managers to ensure payroll readiness
• Aid employees and managers with payroll-related timekeeping questions
• Monitor payroll workflows and approvals to support accurate payroll processing
• Prepare payroll-related journal entries and supporting documentation
• Reconcile payroll-related balance sheet accounts
• Assist with month-end and year-end close activities
• Assist with audit requests and payroll-related financial reporting
• Provide additional accounting support as assigned by the Accounting Manager
• Support payroll system administration and reporting
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, efficiency, and controls
• Participate in future Finance and system improvement initiatives

Requirements

• 3+ years of payroll administration experience preferred
• Experience processing multi-state U.S. payroll required
• Canadian payroll experience strongly preferred
• Experience supporting accounting processes, reconciliations, or financial reporting preferred
• Experience with Paylocity preferred
• Experience with Microsoft Excel and other business systems

Skills & Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Knowledge of payroll regulations, taxes, garnishments, and compliance requirements
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving abilities
• Ability to balance recurring payroll deadlines with accounting support responsibilities