[Hiring] Senior Payroll Specialist @AMLB

Role Description

We are looking for an experienced and highly capable Senior Payroll Specialist to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will take ownership of complex, multi-client payroll portfolios and serve as a senior payroll resource for both clients and internal team members. You will be responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while proactively identifying risks, resolving complex issues, and strengthening payroll processes across AMLB.

The Senior Payroll Specialist will operate with a high degree of autonomy and judgment. In addition to managing full-cycle payroll, you will provide guidance on payroll compliance, support escalated client matters, contribute to process design and documentation, and help develop the capabilities of the broader team. You will work closely with the Payroll Lead, Cloud Accountants, Founders, and clients to deliver a consistent, high-quality client experience.

Core Responsibilities

• Full-Cycle Payroll Ownership: Lead and oversee payroll processing for a diverse portfolio of Canadian clients, ensuring accurate and timely completion across weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly payroll cycles.
• Manage new hires, salary and compensation changes, terminations and ROEs, taxable benefits, statutory holiday pay, commissions, deductions, EHT, WSIB, RRSPs, and other complex payroll transactions.
• Review payroll calculations, reconciliations, remittances, filings, and year-end information slips including T4, and T4A.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Maintain strong knowledge of Canadian federal and provincial payroll requirements and proactively identify compliance, accuracy, timing, and service risks before they affect clients.
• Act as a senior point of escalation for complex payroll questions, discrepancies, CRA matters, government registrations, and other payroll-related issues.
• Client Advisory & Relationship Management: Build trusted relationships with clients and provide clear, proactive guidance on payroll matters, compliance requirements, process improvements, and emerging issues.
• Take ownership of client concerns from identification through resolution, ensuring timely communication and a high-quality client experience.
• Quality Assurance: Perform detailed reviews and audits of payroll data, reconciliations, deductions, remittances, and reporting to identify discrepancies and prevent recurring issues.
• Technology & Automation: Use cloud-based systems such as WagePoint and Karbon to improve accuracy, visibility, efficiency, and communication. Identify opportunities to automate or streamline recurring payroll activities.
• Process Improvement: Identify root causes of payroll issues and lead sustainable improvements to workflows, controls, documentation, and standardized procedures.
• Develop and maintain payroll SOPs, checklists, training resources, and step-by-step procedures to support consistency and scalability.
• Team Leadership & Knowledge Sharing: Serve as a payroll subject-matter resource to Cloud Accountants and other team members. Provide guidance, coaching, and support on payroll-related questions and complex client situations.
• Research changes to payroll legislation, CRA guidance, and industry practices and proactively communicate relevant updates and recommendations to the team and clients.
• Collaborate with the Payroll Lead and Cloud Finance Services Team on initiatives that improve service quality, team capability, and AMLB’s overall payroll offering.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4–5 years of progressive full-cycle Canadian payroll experience, preferably supporting multiple businesses or clients simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex payroll portfolios, resolve escalated issues, and exercise sound judgment in payroll and compliance matters.
• Canadian Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation is an asset; additional payroll certification or related accounting credentials are considered an asset.
• Strong understanding of Canadian federal and provincial payroll legislation, tax requirements, remittances, year-end reporting, and government filings.
• Exceptional accuracy, strong analytical skills, and the ability to identify and resolve discrepancies before they become client-impacting issues.
• Strong experience with payroll software and cloud-based systems, with an interest in automation, reporting, and technology-enabled process improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to build credibility and trust with clients, communicate complex payroll matters clearly, and manage multiple priorities and relationships simultaneously.
• Comfortable acting as a senior resource for colleagues, sharing knowledge, providing guidance, and helping improve team capability.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented, and comfortable working independently with limited supervision while knowing when to escalate appropriately.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with clients, internal teams, and leadership.
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism, discretion, integrity, and confidentiality when handling sensitive payroll and employee information.
• Stays current with payroll legislation, CRA guidance, technology, and evolving best practices.
• Takes initiative, looks for opportunities to improve how work is done, and contributes to AMLB’s growth and service offering.

Benefits

• Generous opportunities for career advancement and growth as an expanding organization.
• A trust-based culture that allows you to work from anywhere, with flexible hours and an emphasis on results delivered over hours worked.
• A competitive compensation and bonus structure (plus half-day Fridays in August!).
• The chance to work in a fun, entrepreneurial, and collaborative environment for an organization with a strong growth mandate that embraces innovation and new ideas.
• An employee-focused culture with forward-thinking leadership and an incredible upward trajectory.
• The opportunity to join a diverse, driven, and talented team in a role of significant impact and visibility.
• Ongoing coaching and mentorship from AMLB’s co-founders, who are former Fortune 500 executives, prioritizing learning and collaborative culture.
• Exposure to the latest technology, with autonomy to test and explore new platforms often.
• The opportunity to work with a diverse group of companies, ambitious entrepreneurs, and non-profit executives across Canada, including high-growth start-ups at various stages.
• Comprehensive benefits package, $500 per year for training purposes, hardware/software, and a $250 contribution towards your home office setup.
• An entrepreneurial business where you will have the opportunity to wear many hats, make a real impact, and gain experience using tools that are disrupting the way accounting is done.

Application Process

Please submit a video of 3 minutes or less using the AMLB Video Request link.

• What interests you about this role?
• What experience do you have managing complex or multi-client payroll portfolios?
• Tell us about a payroll issue or compliance challenge you identified and resolved. What was your approach?
• What is your proudest payroll or process-improvement accomplishment to date?
• We all work remotely from our home offices; what do you think are the key success factors to staying highly engaged and making an impact while working remotely?

Please click “Apply for this job” and upload your CV. We’ll be in touch shortly if there’s a preliminary fit!