Payroll Specialist

Who We Are

You know those big cities that still feel like small towns? Where everyone’s friendly and helps each other out? That’s like Doane Grant Thornton. Except here we’re all professionals and there isn’t a mayor or a general store. What we’re trying to say is that we’re a large and growing professional services firm that still feels like a community. We employ about 3000 people across Canada, and we truly care about our colleagues, our clients and the communities where we work and live. That’s what’s most important to us. We’re building a thriving organization that’s purpose driven and still want to remember what your favourite milkshake flavour is.

Who We Are

You know those big cities that still feel like small towns? Where everyone’s friendly and helps each other out? That’s like Doane Grant Thornton. Except here we’re all professionals and there isn’t a mayor or a general store. What we’re trying to say is that we’re a large and growing professional services firm that still feels like a community. We employ about 3000 people across Canada, and we truly care about our colleagues, our clients and the communities where we work and live. That’s what’s most important to us. We’re building a thriving organization that’s purpose driven and still want to remember what your favourite milkshake flavour is.

As a Payroll Specialist your responsibilities will include:

• Process full cycle of semi-monthly payroll in ADP Workforce Now (WFN) including, time entry and uploads, status changes, various leave payments, year-to-date adjustments, termination pay and ROE issuance.
• Review, validate and process various benefit and compensation files including, leave benefits and RRSP plan reporting.
• Review and process remittance and reporting for Worker’s compensation for all provinces.
• Assist and validate the calculation and remittance of payroll deductions and contributions to various government agencies and other pre-/post-payroll processing activities.
• Assist as needed with payroll month-end and year-end activities, government surveys, remittance tracking, reporting and reconciliations.
• Audit data in HRIS and the payroll system to ensure data integrity and compliance with legislation, policies and programs and verify that the required documentation and approvals are in place and that employee files are complete.
• Monitor the National Payroll email inbox and Workday Help case management, respond to inquiries from colleagues and stakeholders.
• Assist senior team members with more complex work and with special projects and other responsibilities as required.

Doane Grant Thornton

If you’re a bit like us, you’re driven to connect with how others are feeling and thinking. Here we walk in others shoes before taking action. Just imagine being part of a team that puts “we before me”, where flexAbility is a mindset, and where you trust your colleagues to have your back. At Doane Grant Thornton, you’ll work with inspiring leaders who support your development, both personally and professionally. This is a place where your insatiable curiosity enables you to think, see and hear from a variety of perspectives, a place where every day is different and having the courage to grow is part of who you are. And when all this comes together, well that’s when the magic happens!

Want to learn more about who we are and how we live our purple every day? Read our colleagues’ stories at

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Payroll Specialist? Like the colour purple? Great. Here’s a few more boxes we’re also hoping you can tick:

• Minimum PCP designation or completion of payroll courses
• At least 3 years’ hands‑on experience in processing high‑volume, multi‑entity, multi‑province payrolls including month‑end, year‑end processes and government filings
• Experience in publicly traded or professional services, large multi‑jurisdictional companies will be an asset as will benefits administration/reconciliation experience
• Expertise in ADP systems and other HR systems (preferably Workday HRIS) and an intermediary knowledge of MS Excel
• Strong knowledge of multi‑province payroll taxation and employment legislation; excellent research and problem‑solving skills
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, customer service and a process‑improvement mindset. Great team player who is also comfortable working independently
• Proven time‑management and multi‑tasking skills; able to manage multiple competing deadlines without compromising accuracy and compliance controls
• Available to work flexibly to meet business needs and deadlines when required.

What’s in it for you?

Profit sharing, Flex days, RRSP contributions, Firmwide holiday closure, Wellness benefits, Concierge‑like benefits, Work from anywhere in Canada in the summer for 4 weeks, and more! At Doane Grant Thornton, we believe compensation should reflect more than just market data—it should reflect you . We’re serious about compensation. We benchmark regularly across a wide spectrum of roles, industries, sectors, and levels to ensure our ranges are both competitive and current. But we don’t stop there. We also consider the unique strengths, experiences, and impact each individual brings to the table. Our salary ranges are reviewed annually, and where you land within the range depends on a mix of factors— your background, your skills, and how your contributions align with internal equity . To help start the conversation, the current salary range for this role is $74,800–$84,200 in Toronto. If the role is available in other locations, the range may differ to reflect local market factors.

Are you ready to Discover Your Purple?

Doane Grant Thornton is committed to employment equity, human rights and respectful workplace principles throughout the life cycle of employment, including at the recruitment and hiring stages. We welcome applications from members of all equity deserving groups, including persons with disabilities, women, racialized and/or Indigenous applicants. Should you require accommodation in relation to the recruitment process, please notify us by emailing and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs.