Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Employment Opportunity:Payroll & Benefits Administrator
Permanent, full-time | Hybrid work arrangement | Subject to probationary period

Established in 1789, the University of King's College is Canada's oldest chartered university and is associated with Dalhousie University. A small and extraordinarily lively academic community located in Halifax (Kjipuktuk), Nova Scotia, King's is known nationally and internationally for its highly acclaimed interdisciplinary programs in the humanities, including its renowned Foundation Year Program, its professional programs in journalism and its fine arts programs in creative writing. King's is a community where students, faculty, alumni, and staff work to bring greater understanding, creativity, and compassion to the world.

Overview

Reporting to the Controller, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Human Resources Manager, the Payroll & Benefits Administrator is responsible for the accurate and compliant administration of payroll and benefits for all employee groups, including faculty, staff, casual employees, and short-term contracts. This role supports institutional accountability through timely processing, regulatory compliance, and responsive service. The Administrator also collaborates across Finance and Human Resources to ensure effective communication, policy alignment, and a positive employee experience within a cross-functional environment.

Key Responsibilities

The Payroll & Benefits Administrator will perform the following core duties:

Payroll Administration

• Administer full-cycle payroll for faculty and staff (monthly), and casual/student employees (bi-weekly)
• Prepare and submit monthly remittances to the Canada Revenue Agency and benefits providers
• Reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts
• Calculate and issue annual salary adjustments and retroactive payments
• Process T4s and T4As, including pension adjustments and taxable benefits
• Coordinate payroll tax updates and benefits rate changes with external service providers
• Calculate maternity/parental leave top-ups and other salary adjustments
• Administer student refunds, emergency bursaries, and employee reimbursements via payroll
• Manage wage garnishments and other government-mandated deductions
• Support payroll-related inquiries from employees

Benefits and HR Administration

• Serve as administrator for all group benefits plans, including onboarding and online benefits enrollment
• Provide benefits information packages to new employees
• Coordinate annual benefits renewal with external consultants
• Track and manage employee absences (sick leave, parental leave, long-term disability, sabbaticals)
• Calculate and monitor vacation accruals and banked overtime
• Maintain and update the employee handbook and benefits information on the university website
• Liaise with Dalhousie University for ID card issuance and system access (Banner, NetID, email)
• Support administration of supplemental leave grants and travel/research reimbursements
• Manage benefits for retired members including overseeing online administration, communicating rate changes, and reconciling accounts to confirm receipt of payments
• Create and maintain annual faculty and staff list
• Maintain confidential personnel files for faculty, faculty and senior fellows, senior administration, staff, and residence dons

Fiscal Year-End Procedures and Reconciliations (March 31)

• Prepare and post year-end accruals (vacation, overtime, payroll) and journal entries
• Respond to payroll-related audit requests and provide data for external auditors
• Compile and reconcile data for the Public Sector Compensation Disclosure Act (PSCDA) audit

Additional Duties

• Complete salary surveys (e.g., AAU, UCASS) and government reporting with attention to accuracy and institutional alignment
• Serve as minute-taker for the Employee Benefits and Wellness Committee, ensuring timely and professional documentation
• Coordinate Canada Summer Jobs applications, including submission, tracking, and follow-up with relevant departments
• Provide operational and analytical support to the Bursar's Office, including assistance with reconciliations, journal entries, student accounts, and financial reporting as needed
• Collaborate closely with the Human Resources Manager on a range of HR initiatives, including policy development, employee communications, and process improvements
• Contribute to cross-functional projects and institutional priorities by offering payroll and benefits expertise
• Perform other duties as assigned, with a commitment to service excellence and continuous improvement

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 5 years of experience in payroll and benefits administration
• Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) certification
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word and Excel)
• Candidates must demonstrate strong organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and the capacity to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment

Preferred

• CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) designation
• Experience with Sage 300
• Experience in a university or public sector environment

Additional Information

• Preferred start date: Immediate
• Initial onboarding may occasionally require evening or weekend availability; work hours will be adjusted accordingly
• Salary range: $55,893 to $75,971
• Includes comprehensive benefits and mandatory enrollment in the Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Plan (PSSP)

The successful candidate will join a collaborative, service-oriented HR and finance team committed to supporting the King's community.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to:

Pethrona Russell
Human Resources Manager
University of King's College
6350 Coburg Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2A1
[email protected]

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The University of King's College is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. We encourage and welcome applications from Indigenous persons (especially Mi'kmaq), persons with a disability, racialized persons, including persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), women, persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversification of our community.