Payroll technician job description

Posted by Fed Finance Canada in Our employment advice
Posted at 25/04/2024
Payroll technician job description
Good news for people looking for a job in accounting: payroll job offers remain high. Many companies in Quebec are looking for a payroll technician. 

But what does this position include? What skills does it require? What is the training and salary of a payroll technician? If you are interested in this job, you have come to the right place. This is a complete overview of the payroll technician job, provided by the finance recruitment experts at Fed Finance.

 What is a payroll technician?

A payroll technician is a professional responsible for the management and processing of employee salaries within a company, ensuring that payments are accurate and that compensation regulations are complied with. They may also be called payroll managers or compensation specialists. But the payroll technician is not the same as the payroll master, which is a much more senior role.

Payroll technician duties

No matter which company they work for, employees expect their wages to be paid on time and of course always the right amount. Companies rely on one or more payroll technicians to ensure this. However, this is only one aspect of this position, which is in high demand on job posting sites. Expectations differ greatly from one employer to another.

Nevertheless, certain responsibilities generally go hand in hand with this payroll job.

1. Administrative tasks

Payroll technicians should expect to perform a variety of administrative tasks such as filing, writing and data entry. They must also be able to keep various up-to-date records, such as the number of vacation or sick days used by employees. They may also have to produce reports using the data they have access to.

2. Mastering different types of documents

Whether in physical or digital form, payroll management involves mastering a variety of internal and government documents. Payroll technicians ensure that employees follow procedures and submit the various forms related to their position properly filled out.

They can contact a person who has forgotten to sign documents, ask a worker to record overtime hours or check to see if each company department has submitted their timesheets. Payroll technicians also often handle various tax documents.

3. Resolving pay gaps

When the human resources team discovers an error on a timesheet or questions information provided by a department, a payroll technician is often the one who has to investigate to resolve the matter. They may need to discuss a possible miscalculation with an employee or contact a m anager to check a member of their work team's attendance.

4. Dealing with new employees

New employees are generally required to fill out a variety of documents when they are hired. Payroll technicians sometimes assist employers after recruitment to ensure that this step goes smoothly. As a result, they may have to answer questions from new employees about the forms and check that all the required information is on file.

If you are an employer looking for a payroll technician, or if you need help recruiting the right candidate, Fed Finance will be happy to help you.

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What are the skills required for a payroll technician job?

Payroll technicians are experts with numbers. Individuals seeking this position must demonstrate the following skills:

  • In-depth knowledge of compensation and social security laws and regulations.
  • Proficiency in payroll management software and associated IT tools.
  • Ability to perform accurate calculations and handle sensitive data with confidentiality.
  • Communication skills to interact with employees and answer their payroll questions.
  • Ability to problem-solve and manage conflict situations related to compensation.
  • Attention to detail and ability to work rigorously to ensure accuracy of payments.
  • Analytical skills to interpret payroll data and produce relevant reports for management.
  • Ability to work as part of a team, particularly with HR, accounting departments and employees.
  • Adaptability to changes in payroll regulations and processes.
  • Organizational skills to effectively manage payroll deadlines and multiple tasks.

What payroll software is likely to be used?

There are several payroll software packages on the market.

  • Sage - Sage offers several payroll solutions, including Sage 50cloud Ciel, Sage Business Cloud Paie, and Sage Paie & RH.
  • ADP - ADP offers payroll and HR solutions for companies of all sizes.
  • SAP SuccessFactors - This platform offers integrated human capital management solutions, including payroll.
  • Workday - Workday offers a suite of cloud software for financial, human resources and payroll management.
  • Paychex - Paychex provides payroll and HR solutions for small and large companies.
  • QuickBooks Payroll - Intuit QuickBooks offers payroll solutions for small businesses, integrated with their accounting software.
  • ADP Workforce Now - ADP offers a payroll and human resources management solution for medium-sized and large companies.
  • Oracle HCM Cloud - Oracle offers a suite of cloud solutions for human resources management, including payroll.

How to become a payroll technician: training

Those who want to work in the payroll sector must complete a program in accounting and management. This is a 3-year, full-time college program. This training is offered by a large number of CEGEPs in Quebec. A college diploma (DEC) in administrative techniques, accounting and management or the equivalent is often required.

After graduating, the students are ready to work as payroll technicians.

Students who wish to work in other accounting jobs can also pursue their academic career at university by completing a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting or administration.

Payroll technician salary

In Canada, the average salary for a payroll technician is about $61,000 per year. The salary varies according to your experience and the employers.

An entry-level payroll technician will typically earn about $45,000 per year, while an experienced payroll technician can make $60,000 per year.

In what industries do the payroll technicians work?

Payroll technicians can work in any type of business. Since any company usually pays salaries to their employees, candidates who want to work in payroll can work for organizations of any size.

Some payroll professionals opt instead for becoming independent consultants. They move from company to company accepting contracts or orders.

Find a payroll technician job with Fed Finance and accelerate your career

This summarizes the job duties of most payroll technician positions. With experience and specialized training, technicians often move on to more senior payroll-related positions, such as paymaster, manager or analyst.

If you are interested in this type of job, don't hesitate to start looking for a payroll technician position today by consulting the latest job offers in finance or contacting Fed Finance for support.