Hybrid Payroll Coordinator presso University of Saskatchewan

Nature of Work: Reporting to the Manager, HR Administration and Payroll Operations, the Payroll Coordinator plays a key role in delivering accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services in a fast-paced, partner-focused environment. This position supports the continuous improvement of shared services at USask and maintains strong working relationships with a diverse range of partners.

The Payroll Coordinator oversees the daily payroll processes, ensuring compliance with timelines, collective agreements, legislation, and university policies. They provide guidance and support to the team responsible for the payroll activity at the university ensuring that all the transactions for the service, hourly and salaried payroll, are completed timely and accurately. 

This position requires expertise in payroll systems and configurations, along with a solid understanding of employment laws and collective agreements. The successful candidate will manage high volumes and competing priorities with precision and discretion, ensuring accuracy in a dynamic and deadline-driven environment.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

• Coordinate daily payroll operations, ensuring timely and accurate processing while resolving complex issues
• Conduct final reviews of all payroll transactions, including direct deposit feeds, deductions, taxable and non-taxable benefits, and related processes, ensuring accuracy and completeness across service, hourly, and salaried pay runs
• Verify final payroll transaction diagnostic reports and apply necessary adjustments promptly to support accurate payroll execution
• Ensure the accurate review, submission, correction, and follow-up of Records of Employment (ROE) transactions, serving as one of the primary contacts for Service Canada inquiries related to ROEs
• Process intricate salary and benefit adjustments, ensuring correct application of benefit, pension, and loan deductions, including union-specific and other leave benefits
• Confirms payments for various types of terminations, short-term disability, return to work arrangements, leave without pay, seasonal appointments, sensitive separations, etc. and calculates the required deductions ensuring regulatory compliance
• Responsible for the final review and reconciliation of RBC direct deposit payroll transactions, ensuring accuracy and completeness. Manages file creation, submission, and resolution of inquiries or corrections, including escalation of issues when necessary
• Monitor payroll workflows to identify opportunities for increased efficiency and service excellence, recommending enhancements
• Initiate discussion to resolve issues and plays a key role in coaching and mentoring payroll specialists, fostering a collaborative and knowledgeable team environment
• Assist with peer-to-peer training, with guidance from the Team Lead and/or Manager
• As a local functional and systems expert, this position will perform hands-on processing in the production and test environment, often called upon to collaborate and support the technical HR and Payroll support team
• Stay current with and ensure adherence to university policies, legislation, payroll regulations, collective agreements, and best practices to reduce institutional risk
• Engage with stakeholders (Centres of Expertise, Strategic Business Advisors, Administrative Networks, Colleges/Units, vendors, and other ConnectionPoint teams) to ensure seamless resolution and routing of requests
• Provide feedback and insights to improve ConnectionPoint services and operations
• Demonstrates respect and dignity for all members of the community, actively contributes to an environment of acceptance and inclusion, and responds to different perspectives with curiosity and respect
• Engages in continuous learning through participation in activities, training, and events related to Indigenous engagement, reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Perform other related responsibilities as required

Education:

• A bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or a related discipline. An equivalent combination of applicable education and experience may be considered for this position
• Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) designation from the National Payroll Institute is preferred

Experience:

• 3-5years of payroll experience administering salary and benefit plans within a unionized and customer orientated workplace
• Experience working in a diverse and inclusive environment with high volumes and tight timelines is essential
• Experience with payroll and administrative systems and software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, SharePoint Online) is required; familiarity with University of Saskatchewan-specific systems (e.g., Banner Finance, PeopleSoft, Concur, Jira Service Desk, TeamDynamix, Confluence) is an asset
• Hands-on experience with HR and finance enterprise systems, service relationship management tools, knowledge base systems, accounting practices, statutory payroll deductions, and payroll processes.

Skills:

• Ability to influence outcomes and provide guidance on operational decisions unique to USask needs
• Possess a comprehensive working knowledge of payroll systems and processes, with demonstrated ability to use this knowledge to support, plan, adapt, and independently implement them into payroll operations including processes, knowledge resources and systems
• Proven problem-solving abilities with confidence to make decisions; excellent communication skills, both written and verbal; and effective relationship-building capabilities, including providing professional, timely, and courteous service under stressful conditions with a tactful, firm, and professional approach
• Strong relationship-building skills to foster collaboration and trust with internal and external stakeholders and partners
• Proven experience delivering high-quality customer service and operational excellence
• Able to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team, demonstrating initiative and effective communication to achieve goals and support team success
• Strong understanding and knowledge regarding payroll administrative processes and best practices, with experience working in a diverse and inclusive environment
• Demonstrated experience working in case management systems will be considered an asset
• Demonstrated accuracy in data entry and the ability to maintain attention to detail