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Senior Payroll Specialist

- Contract Length: 9 Months
- Location: Calgary, Alberta

Raise is currently hiring a Senior Payroll Specialist on behalf of our client. They’re expanding their team to meet growing needs, making this a unique opportunity to work with an industry leader. Our Client, is a major Canadian airline.

Description

The Payroll Specialist in this role will support the HCM Modernization program by providing hands‑on payroll expertise across requirements validation, testing, data reconciliation, parallel payroll runs, and go‑live support. The role ensures payroll accuracy, compliance, and alignment between system configuration and real‑world payroll operations. Acting as a bridge between Payroll, HR, Finance, HRIT, and the Systems Integrator, this position is critical to reducing payroll risk and ensuring a stable transition to the current Dayforce platform.

Business Purpose

The Payroll Specialist will support the successful implementation of the new HR/payroll system by providing hands-on payroll expertise across requirements gathering system testing, data validation, parallel runs, and go-live readiness. This role is critical to ensuring payroll accuracy, aligning system design with real-world processing needs, identifying gaps early, and reducing risk during transition to the new platform.

Key Deliverables

- Documented and validated payroll requirements, including identified gaps, edge cases, and risks Gather and document payroll, integration and data conversion requirements
- Execute payroll SIT and UAT test scenarios with tracked defects and resolution outcomes Validated and reconciled migrated payroll data and YTD balances
- Completed and signed‑off parallel payroll runs with variance analysis
- Payroll cutover readiness artifacts, including final data extracts and reconciliations
- Go‑live support and stabilization for initial payroll cycles, with knowledge transfer to BAU teams

Required

- 5 to 8 years of Core Payroll experience
- Experience with audit support, year‑end activities, or regulatory reporting




- Hands‑on payroll processing experience in Dayforce, including payroll configuration and execution Familiarity with unionized or complex pay environments (e.g., multiple pay rules, premiums, retro pay) Direct experience supporting a Dayforce payroll implementation, through testing, parallel runs, and go‑live Experience supporting payroll data conversion from legacy systems to Dayforce
- Proven experience executing parallel payroll cycles, including variance analysis and sign‑off
- Experience with payroll integrations across HCM, time & attendance, finance/GL, and third‑party benefits/pension providers Strong understanding of payroll calculations, statutory compliance, controls, and audit requirements
- Demonstrated experience with payroll SIT/UAT testing, data migration validation, and reconciliations
- Ability to independently identify gaps, edge cases, and defects, and drive resolution with HRIT, SI, and vendors Experience working in fast‑paced, cross‑functional transformation programs
- Ability to support process documentation and knowledge transfer to BAU payroll teams
- Nice to Haves
- Experience with JDE HR/Payroll and Kronos
- Strong business analysis skills, including requirements documentation, process mapping, and gap analysis Prior experience working alongside global or large-scale Systems Integrators
- Soft Skills
- Strong communicator who can help translate complex payroll issues into clear, actionable guidance for business and technical teams Confident and assertive, with the ability to challenge design decisions and escalate risks based on facts and data
- Highly detail‑oriented, with a proven ability to identify payroll discrepancies, edge cases, and data gaps early Practical, solution‑focused problem solver who performs well under pressure during parallel runs, cutover, and go‑live
- Takes ownership of outcomes and produces clear documentation and knowledge transfer to support BAU payroll teams

Education and Certifications

- Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma: Preferably in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or Business Administration.

Apply on Kit Job: kitjob.ca/job/2fsslq

📌 Payroll Specialist (Calgary)
🏢 Raise
📍 Calgary