Contract Payroll Consultant (Contract)

Location: Greater Toronto Area

Work Model: Remote Work

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Payroll Consultant to provide immediate support during a period of organizational transition. With approximately 200 employees across North America—including a significant U.S.-based workforce—this role requires a hands-on payroll professional who can quickly assess priorities, stabilize payroll operations, and ensure accuracy and compliance. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned payroll expert who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys solving complex payroll challenges. Beyond processing payroll, the successful candidate will help address outstanding reconciliations, provide subject matter expertise on U.S. payroll matters, and contribute to the development of stronger payroll processes and controls.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for a North American employee population, with a primary focus on U.S. payroll.
• Ensure accurate and timely payroll execution, including tax withholdings, deductions, benefits administration, and related remittances.
• Reconcile U.S. state payroll tax accounts and address outstanding payroll-related reconciliations that have accumulated during a period of transition.
• Support payroll compliance across multiple U.S. jurisdictions and ensure adherence to federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, tax issues, employee inquiries, and benefit-related matters.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external providers to support payroll operations and reporting requirements.
• Review current payroll processes and identify opportunities for improvement, efficiency, and risk reduction.
• Assist with documenting payroll procedures, workflows, controls, and best practices.
• Provide recommendations to strengthen payroll operations and support long-term sustainability of the function.

Required Experience

• CPP, PCP, or equivalent payroll designation considered an asset.
• Proven experience managing U.S. payroll in a multi-state environment.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. payroll taxation, including federal, state, and local payroll requirements.
• Experience reconciling payroll tax accounts and resolving payroll-related compliance issues.
• Hands-on experience administering employee benefits and payroll deductions.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and quickly assess priorities.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and reconciliation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively with employees and leadership stakeholders.

What Will Make You Successful

• Deep expertise in U.S. payroll, multi-state taxation, and benefits administration.
• Ability to quickly identify gaps, prioritize issues, and implement practical solutions.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the confidence to operate independently.
• Strong process-improvement mindset, with the ability to document and establish best practices.
• Proven track record of bringing structure and stability to payroll functions during times of change.

Why Apply?

This is a high-impact opportunity to help a growing organization navigate a critical transition while contributing meaningful improvements to its payroll processes and controls. If you are a payroll professional who enjoys rolling up your sleeves, solving complex issues, and making an immediate impact, we would like to hear from you.

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