Payroll Administrator

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day. Learn more about our recruitment process. Job Requisition ID: 2026-00509 Time Type: Full time Employee Group: Staff Job Category: Human Resources Operations Employment Type: Temporary Department: Human Resources - Payroll Hiring Range: $55,062.53 - $68,828.17 Posting Information: This posting is for an existing vacancy. Term: 2 years There are 2 positions available. Job Description: Primary Purpose The Payroll Administrator provides a high level of customer service to both internal and external customers and applies their knowledge of payroll related legislation, University policy, and established processes and procedures to ensure employees and other payees are paid in a manner that is compliant, accurate, and timely. The scope and nature of payroll in the university environment is extensive and varied and requires a broad understanding of various employment scenarios, earnings types, and taxation requirements as well as the ability to apply professional expertise and judgment. Key Accountabilities Accurately calculate, enter and review pay related information in Workday Review pay related submissions for completeness and compliance with government legislation, University policy, and established processes and procedures Follow up with other teams within HR or campus departments where data is incomplete or non-compliant, or where clarification is needed Validate retroactive earnings and deductions, and calculate and validate top-up payments for eligible employees on maternity/parental/adoption leave Enter payroll data such as voluntary and involuntary deductions, retroactive pay items not handled by Workday’s retro functionality, additional pay items, payments on termination, pre-paid benefit amounts, manual salary transfers, garnishments, special letters, and CPT30 forms Review and balance the bi-weekly and monthly payrolls to ensure employee pay data is accurate before the pay is confirmed and released In coordination with other members of the payroll team, run payroll calculations, incoming interfaces, and balancing and audit reports Review earning, deduction, and tax data and compare to supporting documentation to verify accuracy Make corrections in Workday where necessary, or coordinate with other teams within HR to have corrections made Run outgoing interfaces and distribute deduction reports once pay processing is complete Organize, maintain, and file documentation related to the payroll function for audit purposes Produce off-cycle payments or adjustments as required Process bi-weekly and monthly payrolls from beginning to end in coordination with the Assistant Payroll Manager while adhering to strict deadlines (Senior Payroll Administrators) Run all processes in Workday needed to facilitate data entry, verification, confirmation and transmittal of the pays Coordinate production and distribution of pay advices, cheques, payroll registers and remittance reports, etc. Transmit electronic credit and debit files to the bank, verify acceptance, and deal with any rejected deposit amounts as required Place bank recalls for direct deposit amounts and stop payment requests for cheques as necessary Communicate with internal and external customers in person, via the telephone and through email Respond to inquiries in a timely fashion as per Human Resources’ service standards Perform research where necessary to provide an accurate answer Communicate policy, procedural, and legislative requirements to customers who often have little or no understanding of payroll Provide functional assistance with regard to Workday Payroll self-service features and Time Tracking data entry Deal with sensitive or personal information in a confidential and professional manner Confer with, or escalate matters to, senior level team members as appropriate Other duties include, but are not limited to : Prepare cheque requests for government remittances, garnishments, general deductions, etc., and forward to Finance Process pay reversals and adjustments in Workday to maintain accuracy of employee records Prepare foreign fund payments for processing in coordination with Finance department Prepare and file Records of Employment (ROEs) electronically with Service Canada for employees who terminate or have a break in service Assist with year-end adjustments and corrections as required and respond to customer inquiries related to year-end slips Participate in annual and adhoc audits, providing back-up paperwork and commentary on process where necessary Participate in user acceptance testing for upgrades, updates and implementation of new functionality as required Contribute to creation and maintenance of standard operating procedures Assist with training of new team members and co-op students as required Look for continuous improvement opportunities related to efficiency and payroll best practice and bring forward to Payroll Manager Special projects as assigned Required Qualifications Education 2-3 year post-secondary education in business accounting or similar course of study Has attained, or is working towards, National Payroll Institute, Payroll Compliance Professional certification (PCP) Experience 2-5 years of progressive payroll experience in a large scale, fast paced environment Experience in the Higher Education sector preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Strong knowledge of Canadian tax provisions, provincial/federal programs including CPP, EI, provincial healthcare, workers compensation, etc., and provincial employment standards Strong customer service, and oral and written communication skills Ability to work as a member of a team Accuracy and attention to detail in work, proven analytical and problem-solving skills Ability to multi-task and prioritize work, at times with conflicting priorities Experience with Workday Payroll and Time Tracking or other in-house payroll system Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook) Equity Statement The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations. The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada. The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.