Manager, Payroll & Office Operations

Job Description:

• Payroll, Benefits & Compliance
  • Own end-to-end payroll processing across multiple provinces, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and legislative compliance
  • Administer employee benefits programs, including enrollments, changes, terminations, and annual renewals
  • Manage payroll-related statutory remittances: EHT by self, and CPP, EI, income tax, workers’ compensation, and year-end filings (T4s, RL-1s where applicable) via payroll provider
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll audits, benefit providers, and external advisors

  • Ensure payroll and benefits practices align with firm policies and evolving regulatory requirement.

  • Monitor staff personal trading activity to ensure timely disclosure and adherence to internal compliance policies.

  • Coordinate and complete annual insurance renewals, including Office, Fidelity Insurance Bond (FIB), Cyber, Directors & Officers (D&O), and Errors & Omissions (E&O) coverage.

  • Maintain corporate records, including resolutions, board approvals, and required documentation; obtain signatures from board members and coordinate filings with external legal counsel.

• Accounting & Financial Support 
  • Apply strong accounting principles to payroll accruals, reconciliations, and general ledger entries
  • Partner with Finance to support year-end close activities related to payroll, benefits, and headcount reporting
  • Prepare payroll cost analyses, variance explanations, and ad-hoc reporting for management
  • Maintain strong internal controls and documentation around payroll and office expenditures.

• Equity, Banking & Transaction Support

  • Manage all paperwork, reconciliation, and recordkeeping related to the firm’s annual share transaction.
  • Coordinate with the bank, external legal counsel, and internal stakeholders, including purchasers and sellers, to ensure transactions are completed accurately and on schedule.

• Office Operations & Employee Lifecycle

  • Lead onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring a seamless employee experience and coordination with HR, IT, and Finance
  • Oversee day-to-day office operations across multiple locations, including vendor management, facilities coordination, and administrative services
  • Manage and mentor the Reception / Office Coordinator, setting priorities and ensuring service excellence

  • Drive continuous improvement in office processes, tools, and workflows.

• Business Partnership & Execution 

  • Demonstrate a working understanding of the firm’s business plan, growth strategy, and cost structure, translating this into practical operational decisions
  • Independently identify issues, risks, and inefficiencies - and drive solutions to completion
  • Produce clear, executive-ready reports and insights using advanced Excel (e.g., complex formulas, pivot tables, dashboards, scenario analysis)

  • Act as a reliable, discreet partner to senior leaders on sensitive payroll, compensation, and operational matters.

Job Qualifications:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in payroll and office management, ideally within financial services or a professional services environment.

• Strong working knowledge of Canadian payroll legislation, benefits administration, and statutory remittances across multiple provinces.

• Solid grounding in accounting principles, particularly as they relate to payroll, accruals, and reconciliations.

• Advanced Excel proficiency: ability to build, audit, and maintain complex spreadsheets independently.

• Experience with payroll systems and HRIS platforms.

• Experience supporting equity-related transactions, governance processes, or working with external banks and legal advisors.

Core Competencies:

• Independent Operator: Comfortable owning outcomes end-to-end with minimal oversight
• Commercial Mindset: Understands how payroll, headcount, and operations link to the broader business plan
• Operational Excellence: Highly organized, process-driven, and detail-oriented without losing sight of priorities
• Judgment & Discretion: Handles confidential information with professionalism and sound judgment
• Continuous Improvement: Proactively improves systems, controls, and ways of working

• People Leadership: Able to manage, coach, and develop a small administrative team.

What We Offer:

• Employee Ownership: As an employee-owned firm, we believe in rewarding those who contribute to our collective success. Team members have the opportunity to become future shareholders and grow alongside the firm.
• Open and Transparent Culture: We value open dialogue, collaboration, and trust. Everyone has a voice, and ideas are encouraged—whether they come from a new hire or a long-time partner.
• Team-Oriented and Supportive Environment: You’ll work closely with experienced professionals who are approachable, respectful, and invested in each other’s success.
• Opportunity to Make an Impact: This is a high-impact role supporting employees and the leadership team.
• Competitive Compensation: $100,000 – $120,000, commensurate with experience and depth of payroll, accounting, and multi-province responsibility. Actual salaries may vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors, including, but not limited to, experience and expertise. 
• Benefits: Comprehensive health and dental benefits from day one (no waiting period).