Payroll Specialist

Sentinel Dock & Door Solutions is a leading Canadian provider of commercial dock and door services. Sentinel is a growing platform of partner brands built on deep technical expertise and disciplined execution. As we continue to scale - both organically and through acquisition - consistent performance depends on strong technical capability and aligned leadership across all brands.

We are currently recruiting for a Payroll Specialist who will play a critical role as we are transitioning all acquired companies to a central HRIS that includes administration, build and execution of end-to-end payroll processing. This role enables stability onto a new platform through expertise that is currently lacking across the business.

This position may be based in either Oakville, Ontario.

Key Responsibilities 

Payroll Management

• Oversee and ensure the accurate and timely processing of weekly payroll
• Establish and maintain payroll procedures, controls, and best practices
• Review and approve payroll reports, including labour distribution and accruals
• Manage payroll-related journal entries and reconcile payroll accounts with the general ledger
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and provincial payroll legislation, including Ontario, Quebec and Alberta
• Lead year-end payroll activities (e.g., T4s, reconciliations, audits)
• Act as primary escalation point for payroll-related issues

Benefits Administration

• Oversee the administration of employee benefits programs, including enrollments, changes, and terminations
• Manage relationships with benefits providers and act as escalation point for complex issues
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of benefit premiums and reporting
• Monitor and reconcile benefit deductions with payroll
• Support employee communication and education regarding benefits offerings

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with all relevant employment standards, tax regulations, and reporting requirements
• Monitor legislative changes and recommend updates to policies and practices
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee compensation and personal information
• Develop and enforce internal controls to mitigate risk

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Provide leadership, training, and guidance to payroll and HR team members (if applicable)
• Partner with HR, Finance, and department leaders to support workforce planning and cost management
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency
• Lead or support payroll/benefits-related projects and system implementations

HRIS & Reporting

• Oversee the administration and optimization of the HRIS/payroll system
• Ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy, and system compliance
• Develop and analyze payroll and benefits reports to support decision-making
• Support audits and internal/external reporting requirements

Qualification

• Post‑secondary education in Payroll, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or Human Resources (preferred)
• Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation strongly preferred
•  5+ years of hands‑on payroll experience, ideally in a multi‑company, multi‑province Canadian environment
• Bilingual (English/French)
• Proven experience with end‑to‑end payroll processing
• Direct experience with:T4s, year‑end processes, and payroll audits; Payroll reconciliations and general ledger integration; Labor distribution, accruals, and journal entries
• Advanced Excel skills for payroll and benefits reportings
• Strong proficiency with payroll systems (e.g., Dayforce, ADP, Workday)
• Strong working knowledge of Canadian federal and provincial payroll legislation

The Profile 

The ideal candidate is a senior‑level Canadian Payroll Specialist with strong systems expertise, comfortable operating in a changing environment, and capable of stabilizing and standardizing payroll and benefits processes during an HRIS transition.

 

Total compensation range: $75,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience.