Payroll & Benefits Manager - North York, Ontario

About the Company : The Payroll &

Benefits Manager is responsible for leading Soul's payroll and benefits functions, ensuring employees are paid accurately, on time, and in compliance with all applicable legislation and company policies. This role oversees payroll operations, perks administration, retirement programs, compliance, reporting, and continuous process improvement while providing exceptional service to employees and business leaders. The Payroll &

Benefits Manager partners closely with HR, Finance, Operations, external vendors, and government agencies to ensure efficient administration of payroll, benefits, pensions, and statutory programs while maintaining strong governance and data integrity.

About the Role : This role is responsible for leading the operational readiness and cross-functional coordination of all recent restaurant openings, relocations, and major renovation projects, ensuring restaurants are fully prepared to open on time and operate successfully. The position partners with multiple internal departments and external vendors, managing concurrent projects and influencing key business outcomes through effective planning, communication, and execution.

Responsibilities

- Payroll Leadership & Administration
- Manage the end-to-end payroll process for all employees across multiple provinces and business units.
- Ensure payroll is processed accurately, on time, and in compliance with federal and provincial legislation.
- Review and approve payroll calculations, earnings, deductions, taxable benefits, bonuses, commissions, retroactive payments, vacation pay, and final pay.
- Oversee payroll audits, reconciliations, and reporting.
- Ensure year-end payroll activities, including T4s, RL-1s (where applicable), taxable benefits, and government reporting, are completed accurately.
- Manage payroll calendars, controls,



and service standards.

- Benefits Administration
- Manage all employee benefit programs, including health, dental, life insurance, disability, wellness, EAP, retirement savings, and pension programs.
- Oversee employee enrolments, changes, terminations, leaves of absence, and benefit eligibility.
- Serve as the primary contact for benefit providers and brokers.
- Manage annual benefit renewals and support benefits strategy initiatives.
- Ensure benefit plans remain compliant with legislative and contractual requirements.
- Compliance & Governance
- Ensure compliance with Employment Standards legislation, Income Tax Act requirements, CPP, EI, WSIB/WCB, pension legislation, privacy legislation, and other applicable payroll regulations.
- Maintain strong internal payroll controls and documentation.
- Coordinate payroll audits and support internal and external audit requests.
- Stay current on legislative changes and recommend policy or process updates.
- Reporting & Analytics
- Produce payroll, labour, benefits, and headcount reports for Finance, HR, and senior leadership.
- Analyse payroll trends, benefit utilization, and payroll-related metrics.
- Support budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities.
- Develop dashboards and reporting that improve business decision-making.
- Risk Management & Continuous Improvement
- Identify project risks, operational gaps, and schedule delays, proactively driving resolution and escalating issues when required.




- Conduct post-opening reviews to capture lessons learned and implement improvements for future restaurant openings.
- Maintain and continuously improve standardized opening processes, tools, templates, checklists, and best practices across all restaurant projects.

Qualifications

- Education : Post-secondary diploma or degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
- Experience :
- 5+ years of progressive payroll and benefits experience, with at least 2–3 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
- Experience managing end-to-end Canadian payroll for a multi-site and/or multi-provincial organization.
- Experience administering employee benefits, retirement savings plans, leaves of absence, and statutory programs.
- Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, Employment Standards, income tax, CPP, EI, taxable benefits, and year-end reporting.
- Experience with payroll systems.
- Experience preparing payroll reporting, reconciliations, audits, and supporting Finance during month-end and year-end processes.
- Demonstrated experience leading process improvements and managing third-party vendor relationships.

Required Skills :

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
- Proficient in payroll software and Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Skills :

- Experience with HRIS systems.
- Knowledge of benefits administration software.
- Project management experience.

Pay range and compensation package : Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications. Equal Opportunity Statement : We are committed to diversity and inclusivity in our hiring practices and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

📌 Payroll Benefits Manager (North York)
🏢 Soul Foods Group
📍 North York