Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Job Title: Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Location: Calgary, AB / Vancouver, BC

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Are you looking for an opportunity to create a positive impact in your community?

At Mission Environmental Services Group, we’ve been dedicated to investing in and improving locally owned waste companies across Western Canada and the United States. We are more than just a business, we are trusted partners who help preserve the legacies of the companies we work with, ensuring their staff, customers, and values are taken care of as they transition into the next phase of growth.

If you’re passionate about payroll and benefits administration, enjoy helping employees and managers navigate HR processes, and take pride in accuracy and compliance, then we’d love to hear from you!

Why Join Us?

- Competitive Compensation: Starting rate at $70,000.00-$80,000.00/year (negotiable based on experience)

- Comprehensive Benefits: Health, Dental, and Vision coverage, Health Spending Account (HSA), Group Retirement Savings Plan (GRSP)

- Work-Life Balance: Regular work week schedule and paid vacation days

- Other Perks: Annual bonus

Position Overview:

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist is responsible for independently managing the full payroll and benefits function across multiple provinces, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and a seamless employee experience. Reporting directly to the Human Resources Managers, this role oversees all aspects of payroll administration, from new hire setup to year-end processing, while maintaining strict adherence to employment standards, tax legislation, privacy requirements, and company policies.

The Specialist serves as the organization’s primary subject-matter expert for payroll and benefits, maintaining detailed and accurate records, analyzing system-generated reports, reconciling complex data, and providing informed guidance to employees, managers, and internal teams. This role also supports the administration of group benefits plans, leaves, and terminations, and acts as a key point of contact for payroll service agencies, insurance carriers, and government bodies. With a strong focus on data integrity, process improvement, and customer service, the Payroll & Benefits Specialist plays a key role in the efficiency and reliability of Mission Island Group (MIG)'s HR and payroll operations. This role could be based on Vancouver Island, BC, or in Calgary, AB.

Key Responsibilities:

Payroll Administration

- Manage full-cycle, multi-provincial payroll for hourly, salaried, full-time, part-time, and contract employees.

- Interpret and apply federal/provincial legislation, employment standards, labour regulations, employment contracts, collective agreements, and corporate policies to ensure compliant payroll processing.

- Verify and process required documentation for new hires, changes, and terminations.

- Create and maintain accurate payroll and HRIS records, including hours worked, earnings, bonuses, commissions, taxable/non-taxable benefits, leaves, and deductions.

- Prepare, verify, and reconcile pay statements, ensuring accurate calculation of wages, overtime, statutory holidays, vacation, sick pay, and special payments.

- Ensure timely processing of payments through EFT or cheque.

- Prepare, analyze, and reconcile payroll reports (e.g., labour distribution, vacation balances), troubleshooting, discrepancies promptly.

- Process remittances including CRA source deductions, EHT, WCB/WorkSafe, garnishments, retirement plan contributions, and benefit deductions.

- Complete, verify, and process documentation related to leaves of absence, employment insurance, health benefits, and RSUs.

- Process terminations, calculate final pay and severance as required, and prepare ROEs in compliance with legislation.

- Lead all year-end processes, including annual reconciliations and preparing and submitting T4s, T4As, and other regulatory filings.

- Support internal and external payroll audits by providing documentation, reconciliations, and reports.

- Safeguard all personal information in compliance with privacy legislation and company protocols.

Benefits Administration

- Administer group benefits plans, including enrollments, changes, terminations, and monthly reporting.

- Act as primary point of contact for benefits vendors and employees regarding benefit inquiries.

- Support HR Managers with annual benefits renewal, plan updates, and communication to employees.

- Reconcile monthly benefit invoices and ensure accurate payroll deductions.

Systems & Process Management

- Maintain and update HRIS and payroll systems.

- Monitor system-generated payroll and benefits reports to ensure data integrity and accuracy.

- Support process improvements, automation opportunities, and policy updates to enhance payroll and benefits efficiency.

- Collaborate with HR and Finance o streamline workflows and ensure consistency across systems and practices.

Employee & Manager Support

- Respond to payroll and benefits inquiries with professionalism and accuracy.

- Provide guidance on payroll policies, statutory requirements, and best practices.

- Communicate with internal stakeholders, managers, vendors, and government bodies as required.

Compliance & Reporting

- Stay current on provincial and federal payroll legislation, employment standards, tax updates, and benefits regulations.

- Ensure all payroll and benefit processes comply with CRA, WorkSafe/WCB, pension regulations, privacy legislation, and organizational policies.

- Prepare payroll-related statistical reports, summaries, and reconciliations for Finance, HR, and leadership.

- Prepare and balance period-end reports, ensuring alignment with bank statements and financial records.

- Perform other related duties as required or assigned.

Qualifications:

Qualifications & Experience

- Minimum five years of progressive experience in full-cycle payroll and benefits administration.

- Professional payroll certification (PCP or CPM) is preferred.

- Will consider candidates with payroll courses, equivalent experience, or a relevant degree (e.g., Accounting, Finance, Human Resources).

- Experience with multiple payroll/HRIS platforms is considered an asset. Strong understanding of multi-provincial payroll legislation and compliance requirements.

Technical Skills

- Proficient with payroll systems, HRIS, and Microsoft Excel.

- Strong numerical, analytical, and reconciliation skills.

- Ability to manage high volumes of data with accuracy and attention to detail.

Core Competencies

- High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.

- Strong communication and customer service orientation.

- Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.

- Problem-solving mindset with the ability to identify issues and recommend solutions.

- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

- Strong collaboration skills working with cross-functional teams.

* Please note that this job description is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

At MissionESG, we are an inclusive and diverse team with an entrepreneurial spirit. Accountability, Safety, and Care are fundamental to our culture and our operations. As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage all qualified applicants to apply, to help us build a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we live and work.

Must be legally authorized to work in Canada. MissionESG is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $70,000.00-$80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

- Dental care

- Extended health care

- On-site parking

- Paid time off

- RRSP match

- Vision care

Experience:

- payroll & benefits: 5 years (required)

Licence/Certification:

- PCP/CPM Certification (preferred)

Work Location: In person