As the Head of Payroll, you will lead the payroll department and oversee all aspects of payroll administration, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency for over 6,000+ employees across Canada and USA. This position reports directly to the Head of HR Shared Services for North America and will have leadership responsibility for managing payroll processes, systems, and the payroll team to deliver timely and accurate payroll services to our employees across multiple locations and business units. Additionally, you will provide strategic guidance on payroll-related matters, ensure proper coding within financials, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll operations.

• Oversee and ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll for all employees, including regular, overtime, and prevailing wage calculations.
• Manage payroll systems, including system configuration, updates, and troubleshooting.
• Develop and implement payroll policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Oversee payroll tax compliance, including withholding, reporting, and remitting taxes accurately and on-time.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to address any payroll-related issues or inquiries.
• Manage relationships with external vendors, such as tax advisors or payroll service providers.
• Provide leadership and guidance to the payroll team, including training, coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluations.
• Stay current on changes in payroll laws and regulations that impact the organization and cascade these changes down to key stakeholders and employees as necessary.
• Coordinate internal and external audits related to payroll processes and payroll tax compliance.
• Participate in strategic planning activities related to compensation, benefits, financial forecasting, and budgeting.
• Expected travel in this position is approximately 10-15%, mainly in the US and Canada, but also international travel as needed.

Required Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience overseeing the processing of high-volume multi-state and multi-unit payrolls for large exempt, non-exempt, union and non-union workforce.
• 5+ years of experience leading and managing teams.
• Experience transforming a payroll function to maximize automation, scalability, and cost effectiveness, building new capabilities and process optimization.
• Extensive experience in US and Canadian payroll management required.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is a plus.
• Experience with handling the Expatriate payroll is a plus.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop a diverse team of payroll professionals.
• A champion in the commitment for operational excellence (100% Responsibility / 0 Excuses) and continuous improvement in the execution of payroll programs, initiatives, projects and processes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
• In-depth knowledge of payroll laws, regulations, tax codes, and compliance requirements at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Proficiency in payroll systems, software, and technology platforms, with experience implementing and optimizing payroll systems and processes. Experience in UKG and SAP SuccessFactors a plus.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to analyze complex payroll data, identify trends, and make data-driven recommendations.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally and communicate payroll-related information to employees, management, and stakeholders.
• Partner closely with various collaborators (Finance, Tax, Compensation & Benefits, HR Business Partners) to ensure payroll is processed securely as per defined procedures, guidelines, legal requirements and in compliance with local laws and regulations.
• Prior experience in project management and/or system implementation preferred.
• Expert in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP’s/pivots), Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.