We’re looking for a seasoned, detail-oriented Senior Payroll Coordinator who can take full ownership of payroll operations across a diverse U.S. contingent workforce. This role goes beyond payroll processing—it’s about ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll execution while confidently resolving complex exceptions and driving operational excellence.
If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, can independently manage end-to-end payroll outcomes, and have the expertise to navigate multi-jurisdictional payroll complexities, this could be your next career move. You’ll play a key role in stabilizing payroll operations, maintaining quality standards, and supporting the growth and development of junior team members, all while contributing to a high-performing Pay Operations team.
- Pay: $58,000 – $65,000 CAD | commensurate with experience and geography
- Location: Remote | US or Canada
- Work Type: Full time
Key Distinction
The Senior Payroll Coordinator resolves what the Payroll Coordinator cannot. It does not escalate complexity upward as a first response. It owns the outcome and escalates only when compliance interpretation or material risk genuinely requires it.
As part of our hiring process, the first step will include an interview conducted by an AI interviewer. This allows us to efficiently and fairly assess all applicants using consistent, unbiased questions.
Key Accountabilities
- Full-cycle payroll ownership — end-to-end payroll execution for assigned clients including inputs, processing, exceptions, corrections, and documentation
- Complex exception resolution — independent investigation and resolution of moderately complex payroll exceptions
- Quality stabilization — review and oversight of Payroll Coordinator work to maintain accuracy standards across the function
- Team development — day-to-day guidance and capability building for other team members
- System and data integrity — cross-system accuracy and root cause analysis for recurring errors
- Documentation — resolution path documentation that makes complex cases a learning resource for the whole team
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Payroll Execution
- Own payroll execution for assigned clients and worker populations from input validation through to payment confirmation (W2)
- Process payroll including time entries, adjustments, retro pay, corrections, and year-end activities for assigned populations.
- Validate payroll outputs before processing and take corrective action where discrepancies are identified.
- Manage multi-client payroll timelines simultaneously without requiring escalation for scheduling or prioritization decisions.
- Support year-end activities including W2 preparation, data validation, and issue resolution.
- Complex Exception Resolution
- Receive and resolve complex payroll exceptions escalated from Payroll Coordinators including rate mismatches, retroactive adjustments, deduction errors, multi-province complications, and non-standard scenarios.
- Apply existing compliance guidance to moderately complex situations without requiring jurisdictional interpretation.
- Document every complex resolution clearly enough that the next person facing the same scenario can apply the learning independently.
- Escalate to the Jurisdictional Lead only when legislative interpretation, material compliance risk, or significant financial exposure requires it.
- Quality Review and Oversight
- Conduct weekly sample reviews of completed work to identify patterns in errors or gaps.
- Review payroll batches prepared by time entry team before processing deadlines and correct or redirect as needed.
- Identify recurring error patterns and bring them forward as training or process improvement signals.
- Team Development and Guidance
- Serve as the primary day-to-day guidance resource for team members on payroll questions, escalations, and unclear scenarios.
- Provide teaching-oriented responses that build Coordinator capability rather than creating dependency.
- Create an environment where team members ask questions early rather than proceeding with uncertainty.
- Support cross-training within the payroll team to build backup coverage across clients and populations.
- Missing Timesheet and Escalation Management
- Oversee missing timesheet resolution for assigned clients and ensure follow-up processes are running correctly.
- Manage approval escalations with our Contractor Support and Account Managers on time-sensitive situation.
- Maintain oversight of supplier reference codes and alias ID integrity for assigned populations.
- System Integrity and Documentation
- Maintain cross-system data accuracy across Dayforce, Salesforce, GP, and web time platforms.
- Investigate root causes of recurring payroll errors and contribute to process improvement initiatives.
- Document complex exception resolutions in a format accessible to the broader team.
- Maintain and update payroll reference documentation for assigned clients as requirements change.
Decision and Escalation Authority
- The Senior Payroll Coordinator independently resolves most payroll issues within defined scope within the USA specifically. Escalation to the Jurisdictional Lead is required when:
- A situation requires legislative or regulatory interpretation beyond existing guidance
- Financial exposure is material and resolution is uncertain
- A compliance risk has systemic implications beyond a single worker or client
- A government or agency matter requires formal compliance authority
Required Qualifications
- 5 to 8 years of payroll operations experience with demonstrated complex exception resolution capability.
- Experience owning full-cycle payroll for multiple clients or worker populations simultaneously.
- Track record of providing guidance and development support to junior payroll team members.
- Strong working knowledge of USA payroll including statutory deductions, state specific requirements, and year-end processes.
- Advanced experience working across multiple payroll systems including data reconciliation and cross-system accuracy management.
- Demonstrated ability to identify root causes of recurring errors and contribute to process improvement.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in staffing, contingent workforce, EOR, or multi-client payroll environments.
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or actively working toward it.
- Familiarity with Dayforce, Salesforce, GP, and web time platforms.
- Experience supporting year-end USA processes including reconciliation and correction management.
Core Competencies
- Full-cycle payroll ownership and accountability for outcomes.
- Complex exception investigation and independent resolution.
- Quality orientation that catches errors systematically.
- Teaching and guidance that builds capability rather than dependency.
- Judgment about when to resolve independently and when to escalate.
- Root cause thinking that addresses patterns not just individual instances.
- Calm and steady under deadline pressure and workflow instability.
- Cross-functional collaboration with CS, AM, Finance, and systems partners.
Working Conditions
- Fully remote within USA or Canada.
- Standard business hours with flexibility required during payroll processing peaks and year-end.
- Regular use of payroll, CRM, and financial systems.
- Occasional participation in team working sessions and structured training delivery.