Payroll Specialist - North America

Department: People

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: CAN - Ottawa

Reporting To: Maria Watson

Compensation: $55,000 - $75,000 / year

Description

Job Title: Payroll Specialist (North America)

Location: Ottawa, ON or Houston, TX

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Annual Salary: $55,000- $75,000

About BMT

BMT is dedicated to tackling the most crucial engineering challenges of our era, fostering an environment where individuals with exceptional technical expertise provide meaningful, practical solutions. Committed to creating a safer, more efficient, effective, and sustainable future, BMT values diversity, equity, and inclusion, recognizing their pivotal role in achieving our business purpose. Learn more about BMT at www.bmt.org.

Reporting to the People Director, the Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll across North America (Canada and the United States). This role ensures compliance with all applicable legislation, internal policies, and reporting requirements, while delivering accurate and timely payroll to employees across North America.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing and Administration

Process end to end payroll for Canadian and US employees on a biweekly / semi monthly basis

Ensure all earnings, deductions, and statutory remittances are calculated accurately

Maintain payroll records and ensure data integrity within payroll systems

Coordinate payroll changes including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, and benefits updates

Time and Attendance

Administer time and attendance processes, including timesheet submission, review, and approval workflows

Validate employee hours, overtime, and project coding for accuracy and completeness

Partner with managers to resolve timesheet discrepancies in a timely manner

Ensure alignment between approved timesheets and payroll processing timelines

Support continuous improvement of time tracking processes and system utilization

Compliance and Reporting

Ensure compliance with federal, provincial, and state payroll legislation

Prepare and reconcile statutory filings including CRA, IRS, and relevant state agencies

Manage year end processes including T4, RL1, W2, and related filings

Support internal and external audits by providing payroll documentation and analysis

Benefits and Deductions Administration

Administer employee benefits programs including enrolments, changes, and deductions

Reconcile benefit invoices and work closely with vendors

Ensure accurate processing of RRSP, and 401k contributions

Reconciliation and Controls

Perform regular payroll reconciliations and resolve discrepancies

Partner with Finance to ensure alignment between payroll, general ledger, and financial reporting

Maintain strong internal controls and identify opportunities for process improvements

Employee Support

Respond to employee payroll inquiries in a timely and professional manner

Provide guidance on payroll related matters including deductions, taxation, and benefit impacts

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

3 to 5 years of payroll experience, including Canada and United States

Experience using ADP Workforce Now for payroll processing and reporting

Solid understanding of Canadian and US payroll legislation, taxation, and compliance requirements

Payroll certification (e.g., PCP) or working towards is considered an asset

Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel

Experience with time and attendance systems, including timesheet management

Experience supporting payroll system implementations, migrations, or enhancements is an asset

Experience in an engineering, consulting, or project-based environment is an asset

Strong attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy and accountability

Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines

Strong problem solving and communication skills, with a customer-service mindset

Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams

Job Benefits