Payroll Administrator

Date Posted: February 26, 2026

Posting Deadline: March 20, 2026

Department: People & Culture

Type of Employment: Permanent, Full-time

Group Affiliation: APC Group, Group 3 ($48,089 - $61,977 annually)

At Saint Mary's University, you will be surrounded by a talented and dedicated team of professionals committed to accessibility, diversity, and the provision of a positive and supportive learning environment. We recognize the importance of the contribution and growth of each individual in the University's success. We are currently looking to fill the position of Payroll Administrator to join our People & Culture team.

What we offer

As a team member at Saint Mary's, we are proud to offer many benefits. Some of these include:

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Defined Contribution Pension plan
• Vacation
• Personal days
• Flexible Workplace
• Professional development
• Holiday closure
• Summer hour schedule
• Employee Transit EPass through Halifax Transit

Job Information and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Supervisor of Payroll, the Payroll Administrator:

• Prepares student/casual/part-time/full-time payroll for a population of over 2000.
• Provides excellent customer service to both internal and external customers by email, phone, in person and virtually.
• Works collaboratively with the People & Culture team to ensure the timely, accurate and effective delivery of Human Resources/Payroll services.
• Ensures employee paperwork is complete upon receipt via electronic submission and communicates with departments when information is missing.
• Confirms that information contained on Staff Payroll Profiles appears correct and contacts appropriate People & Culture team members for confirmation or explanation where necessary.
• Performs all data entry required to complete all bi-weekly payrolls.
• Runs all processes necessary to calculate net pay, checks output for reasonableness and error, and commits payroll once checking is complete. Also runs processes that feed the information to Finance for the posting of all payroll expenses and liabilities to the General Ledger.
• Runs exception and change reports to confirm direct deposit changes, pays under multiple pay IDs, and future dated record changes.
• Responds promptly and effectively to complex inquiries, both internal and external, by phone, email, by mail and virtually. Responsible for gathering information regarding the inquiry, determining the best course of action, resolving the issue, or redirecting the inquiry where appropriate.
• Prepares correspondence with respect to students and part-time faculty regarding such things as confirmation of earnings, immigration letters, job history, and Long-Term Disability premium deductions
• Receipts all benefit, and overpayment recoveries received by payroll. Prepare electronic deposits and reconciliation sheets and provide to Financial Reporting & Accounting.
• Ensures a manual adjustment is processed through the Banner payroll system so correct Year to Date totals are available to the employee and liability and expense accounts are updated in a timely manner.
• Processes credit card payments using the Moneris System.
• Maintains strict confidentiality.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Experience and Education Requirements

To be the successful Payroll Administrator you will have:

• Community college courses equivalent to 1-year post-high school education.
• Payroll Compliance Legislation and Payroll Fundamentals 1 courses, as offered by the National Payroll Institute (Considered an asset).
• A minimum of 1 year of directly related work experience.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both oral and written.
• Successful record of teamwork in a high-volume work environment with the ability to handle multiple priorities.
• Excellent computer/keyboarding skills (in both speed and accuracy) using an integrated computerized payroll system, Word, Excel, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software and Crystal Reports.
• Superior organizational skills and attention to detail.

Application Details

Apply for this opportunity online using our online application system through Career Beacon. Click on "Apply Now" and complete all required information fields. Qualified candidates should submit the following with their application:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Three Professional References

Late applications may not receive consideration. We appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

At Saint Mary's University, equity and diversity are integral to excellence and enrich our community. As an institution committed to fostering an environment of inclusion and respect, we encourage all qualified candidates to apply; however, preference will be given to applicants who self-identify as Black/African Nova Scotians, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons/visible minorities, persons with disabilities and women. If you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition at [email protected].