Payroll Manager - Activate Talent (Waterloo)

Position: Payroll Manager Location: Remote (Global) Employment Type: Full-Time Type of contract: Independent contractor ???? Work from any corner of the world and be a part of the #remoteworkrevolution!‼️ Scope of the Role: We’re looking for a Payroll Manager to lead and oversee end-to-end payroll operations across the organization. This person will ensure payroll is processed accurately, on time, and in compliance with all applicable regulations while maintaining strong internal controls and confidentiality standards. This is not just a payroll processing role. We need someone who can own the function, identify inefficiencies, improve workflows, and partner cross-functionally with Finance, HR, People Operations, and external payroll providers. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, process-driven, and experienced managing complex payroll environments, including multi-state payroll operations. Responsibilities: i. Payroll Operations - Manage the full payroll cycle for employees across multiple states/jurisdictions - Process payroll accurately and on schedule using Paylocity - Maintain payroll calendars, approvals, reconciliations, and reporting - Review payroll changes including bonuses, commissions, deductions, garnishments, and adjustments - Handle off-cycle payrolls, corrections, and employee payroll inquiries ii. Benefits & Employee Administration - Support employee benefits administration including enrollments, terminations, deductions, and updates - Coordinate payroll-related onboarding and offboarding processes - Maintain employee payroll records and documentation - Assist employees with payroll, deductions, tax forms, and advantages-related questions - Support leave administration, terminations, severance calculations, and related payroll processes iii. Compliance & Reporting - Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations - Maintain payroll controls, audit trails, and supporting documentation - Support payroll audits, tax reporting, year-end activities, and reconciliations - Prepare payroll-related reports for Finance, HR, and leadership teams iv. Process Improvement & Collaboration - Partner closely with HR, Finance, Accounting, and external payroll providers - Identify payroll inefficiencies and recommend process improvements - Support payroll system updates, testing, implementations, or workflow optimizations - Maintain confidentiality and accuracy across all payroll operations Requirements: - 2-4 years of payroll management or payroll operations experience - Direct hands-on experience using Paylocity - Experience managing multi-state or multi-jurisdiction payroll - Experience supporting benefits administration and employee payroll administration - Strong understanding of payroll compliance, controls, and reporting - High attention to detail and accuracy - Strong Excel or Google Sheets skills - Ability to manage recurring deadlines and confidential information - Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills Preferred Qualifications: - Experience in manufacturing, retail, ecommerce, consumer goods, or high-growth environments - Experience with payroll audits and year-end reporting - Familiarity with payroll process improvement and system implementations - CPP certification or related payroll credentials Apply on Kit Job: kitjob.ca/job/2pdz1w