Payroll & Benefits Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Contract Role | In-Office | Edmonton, AB | $40–$50/hour
About
We are hiring a Payroll & Benefits Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a large-scale HRIS/payroll system transition. This is a hands-on technical role requiring deep experience with Canadian payroll compliance, complex benefits administration, and systems expertise to help lead and optimize payroll processes through a critical implementation phase.
Start Date: ASAP
Schedule: Monday–Friday, full-time business hours
Location: Edmonton, AB | Fully in-office
Rate: $40–$50/hour
Term: 3+ months with potential for extension
Dress Code: Business casual
Reporting To: Director of Human Resources or HR Systems Lead
Key Responsibilities
System Transition & Configuration Support
Act as SME during payroll system migration from legacy software to new HRIS platform—participating in testing, parallel runs, data validation, and configuration reviews.
Assist in building workflows and setting up business rules (earnings, deductions, GL mapping) within the new platform to ensure compliance and accuracy.
Provide expert-level input into payroll module configuration, particularly on salary group setups, benefits eligibility, and taxation rules.
Payroll Processing Oversight
Review, audit, and support payroll runs during the implementation phase (weekly, biweekly, and monthly cycles).
Analyze pay variances, retroactive pay, off-cycle runs, and reconciliation reports—flag discrepancies and recommend corrections proactively.
Validate ROEs, T4s, benefits deductions, taxable benefits and pension adjustments to ensure compliance with CRA and provincial legislation.
Benefits & Pension Administration
Support the transition of health, dental, life insurance, and pension data from legacy systems to new HRIS platform.
Validate benefit plans, coverage levels, premium calculations, and payroll integrations—ensuring 100% alignment between payroll and benefits systems.
Assist in audit prep and reconciliation of group benefits premiums and pension contributions across multiple carriers and internal departments.
Documentation, Testing & Compliance
Develop and maintain clear SOPs and testing scripts for payroll functions in the new system.
Perform end-to-end testing and parallel pay runs, logging errors and collaborating with implementation teams to resolve issues.
Advise on internal control measures to maintain SOX or audit readiness.
Support annual processes including T4 generation, pension filing, and year-end balancing.
Stakeholder Support & Training
Partner with HR, Finance, and third-party vendors to troubleshoot and resolve payroll-related issues during and after go-live.
Provide training and guidance to HR/payroll team members on new processes, changes in legislation, and best practices.
Act as a liaison between HRIS vendors, internal payroll team, and finance leaders to ensure alignment throughout the project.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Deep expertise in Canadian payroll legislation and benefits administration
Experience participating in or leading payroll/HRIS system implementations (Dayforce, ADP, Ceridian, UKG, or SAP success factors strongly preferred)
Ability to audit, troubleshoot, and optimize pay cycles for high-volume workforces (1000+ employees ideal)
Comfort working with unionized and non-unionized payrolls, multiple pay groups, and multi-province environments (e.g., AB, BC, ON, SK, NL)
Detail-oriented with excellent communication skills—able to bridge technical and functional needs
Proven experience collaborating across departments and training peers during periods of change
PCC/PCP certification preferred, CPM an asset
Qualifications & Skills
Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in payroll and benefits, with at least 1–2 implementations supported
PCP or CPM designation preferred
Strong knowledge of CRA legislation, taxable benefits, vacation accruals, and pension compliance
Experience with tools such as Excel (pivot tables, lookups), HRIS testing platforms, and payroll reporting tools
Prior experience managing multi-cycle payrolls (e.g., biweekly, monthly)
Familiarity with GL integration, payroll audits, and benefits reconciliation
How to Apply:
Please submit your resume to Jobs.WestEdmontonAB@ExpressPros.com.
Important Note:
We do not charge fees during the hiring process. All legitimate offers will include an interview. If you receive suspicious outreach, especially through social platforms or messaging apps, report it to local authorities or reach out directly to us.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.