Director, Payroll and Benefits

The BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA) is seeking a strategic, innovative, and experienced Director, Payroll and Benefits to provide leadership for our end-to-end payroll, pension, and benefits programs within a unionized environment. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this senior leadership role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of accurate, timely, and compliant payroll and benefits services while driving continuous improvement across operations, systems, and processes. 

If you are a forward-thinking leader with deep payroll expertise, a passion for continuous improvement, and a proven ability to optimize complex payroll and workforce management systems, we invite you to bring your leadership and experience to BCFMA and make a meaningful impact for the children and families we serve. Experience with UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) workforce management and payroll systems is considered a strong asset. 

The BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA) is responsible for the client-centric administration of family (child and spousal) support services for British Columbians. BCFMA offers supports that strengthen families so that they may achieve their full potential and secure the best possible future for their children. We are committed to promoting equity, anti-racism, and multiculturalism, addressing social and health issues such as mental health and poverty, and providing services that make communities safer. We strive for lasting and meaningful reconciliation through Indigenous-specific community recognition, outreach, and relationship-building efforts.

BCFMA is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, honouring the provincial commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action. Through fostering respectful and collaborative relationships with Indigenous partners and stakeholders, BCFMA delivers on the government’s priorities.

The Director, Payroll and Benefits provides strategic leadership and oversight of the BC Family Maintenance Agency’s end-to-end payroll, pension, and benefits functions, ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of compensation and benefits for both included and excluded employees. This role is accountable for delivering payroll services in accordance with applicable legislation, collective agreements, organizational policies, and British Columbia payroll regulations.

As the Agency’s subject matter expert in payroll and benefits, the Director provides strategic advice, guidance, and interpretation to leaders, employees and stakeholders on complex payroll, pension and benefit matters. This role requires extensive expertise in administering payroll across multiple collective agreements, as well as a thorough understanding of relevant employment standards, payroll rules and regulatory requirements.

The Director, Payroll and Benefits leads the governance, optimization and continuous improvement of payroll, benefits, and workforce management systems, ensuring operational excellence, system integration, data integrity, internal controls, compliance, and audit readiness.

Working collaboratively across the Agency, the Director supports strategic and operational priorities. The role develops and maintains key relationships with a broad network of internal and external stakeholders including, the Agency Leadership Team, benefit and pension providers, HRIS and payroll vendors, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Service Canada, and other regulatory agencies to ensure operational excellence and effective service delivery.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provides strategic and operational leadership for all payroll, pension and benefit functions to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services.
• Serve as payroll system lead for HRIS payroll, ensuring accurate configuration, data integrity, processing, and reporting.
• Oversees direct reports and provides leadership, direction, coaching, and development to staff, fostering a high-performance culture focused on service excellence, accountability, continuous learning, and employee engagement.
• Provides strategic oversight of employee benefits and pension programs, fostering strong stakeholder relationships while ensuring effective administration, legislative compliance, continuous improvement, and the security and stewardship of employee information.
• Directs the full-cycle processing of payroll for unionized and excluded employees.
• Ensures compliance with collective agreements, employment legislation, income tax regulations, pension requirements, and statutory reporting obligations.
• Oversees complex payroll transactions including retroactive adjustments, salary increases, leaves, terminations, and other payroll-related calculations.
• Ensures the timely completion of payroll reconciliations, remittances, year-end reporting, and government filings.
• Acts as the senior authority on payroll matters, resolving complex issues and providing expert advice to leadership.
• Leads the optimization of payroll, benefits, and related systems to improve operational effectiveness and service delivery including process improvements, automation initiatives, and standard operating procedures.
• Provides strategic oversight of the HRIS payroll and workforce management systems, including configuration of system enhancements, troubleshooting, testing, implementation, upgrades, and integrations.
• Ensures data integrity, reporting accuracy, and effective system controls.
• Oversees the development of reports using data from the HRIS dashboards, analytics, and performance measures to support decision-making including the LIGER annual report for the BC PSEC Secretariat.
• Ensures strong governance frameworks, internal controls, and risk management practices are in place across payroll and accounts receivable operations.
• Develops, implements, and monitors policies, procedures, standards, and controls.
• Oversees internal and external audits, ensuring timely responses and implementation of recommendations.
• Conducts risk assessments and implements measures to mitigate financial, operational, and compliance risks.
• Represents the Agency on committees, working groups, and initiatives related to payroll, benefits, financial administration, and business operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Payroll Leadership Professional (PLP) or Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) designation through the National Payroll Institute.
• Accounting Degree is considered an asset.
• Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible payroll and benefits administration experience, including several years in a leadership role.
• Experience leading and developing staff, including supervision, performance management, coaching, training, workforce planning, and career development.
• Experience managing payroll operations in a complex, multi-site organization with responsibility for multiple payroll groups.
• Extensive experience working within a unionized environment, including the interpretation and application of collective agreements.
• Demonstrated expertise in British Columbia payroll legislation, regulatory compliance, statutory reporting, and payroll best practices.
• Experience administering employee benefits and pension programs.
• Experience implementing and maintaining payroll controls, audit processes, compliance frameworks, and risk management practices.
• Experience leading the preparation, review, and public disclosure of executive compensation information, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with organizational governance, accountability, and transparency standards.
• Demonstrated success leading payroll process improvements, system implementations, and operational modernization initiatives.
• Experience using enterprise payroll and workforce management systems, preferably UKG Pro (Payroll) and UKG Workforce Management (Time and Attendance).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Expertise in data analysis, technical solutions, systems thinking, process optimization, and continuous improvement related to payroll and benefits operations.
• Expert analytical, problem-solving, judgment, and organizational skills, with the ability to provide sound recommendations and interpret complex pay rules and collective agreements.
• Strong communication, relationship management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in complex, deadline-driven environments, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, and commitment to compliance and audit requirements.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including staff supervision, performance management, training, coaching, and career development planning.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, reporting tools, data analytics, and payroll information systems.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• A Criminal Record Check is required.

Why work at BCFMA

• An opportunity to be part of an inclusive and diverse culture where you can make a difference and team members are appreciated and valued.
• Work-life balance with a Monday to Friday work week.
• Participation in a Defined Benefit Public Service Pension Plan.
• Competitive benefits package including extended health, dental, above standard vacation entitlement, company paid sick time and flex days.
• On-the-job training with opportunities for ongoing learning and development.

You say you want a career where you can make a difference - don’t delay and apply today!

The annual salary for this position ranges from $105,489.00 to $134,791.00 depending on experience.  The starting salary for candidates who meet the base qualifications can be expected to start up to the 25th percentile. This position is excluded from Union membership. Candidates must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply for this full-time opportunity.

We are committed to promoting equity, anti-racism and multi-culturalism, addressing social and health issues such as mental health and poverty, and providing services that make communities safer. We strive for lasting and meaningful reconciliation through Indigenous-specific community recognition, outreach, and relationship building efforts.

INDIGENOUS RELATIONS BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

Building a Trust-Based Relationship requires a fundamental understanding that "relationship" is the foundation from which all activities happen and that building a good relationship takes time and commitment. It is a willingness to build a personal relationship in addition to a professional one, participating in open exchanges of experiences and culture. It requires a genuine, non-controlling approach and relies upon demonstrated integrity and transparency. Building a trust-based relationship requires a high level of consciousness of the experience of Indigenous people with Crown relations. It assumes that strengths abound in Indigenous people, cultures and communities.

Cultural Agility is the ability to work respectfully, knowledgeably and effectively with Indigenous people. It is noticing and readily adapting to cultural uniqueness in order to create a sense of safety for all. It is openness to unfamiliar experiences, transforming feelings of nervousness or anxiety into curiosity and appreciation. It is examining one’s own culture and worldview and the culture of BCFMA, and to notice their commonalities and distinctions with Indigenous cultures and worldviews. It is recognition of the ways that personal and professional values may conflict or align with those of Indigenous people. It is the capacity to relate to or allow for differing cultural perspectives and being willing to experience a personal shift in perspective.

BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES  

Analytical Thinking is the ability to comprehend a situation by breaking it down into its components and identifying key or underlying complex issues. It implies the ability to systematically organize and compare the various aspects of a problem or situation and determine cause-and-effect relationships ("if...then…") to resolve problems in a sound, decisive manner. Checks to ensure the validity or accuracy of all information.

Business Acumen is the ability to understand the business implications of decisions and the ability to strive to improve organizational performance. It requires an awareness of business issues, processes, and outcomes as they impact the client’s and the organization’s business needs.

Holding People Accountable involves setting high standards of performance and holding team members, other government jurisdictions, outside contractors, industry agencies, etc., accountable for results and actions.

Leadership implies a desire to lead others, including diverse teams. Leadership is generally, but not always, demonstrated from a position of formal authority. The “team” here should be understood broadly as any group with which the person interacts regularly.

Organizational Commitment is the ability and willingness to align one's own behaviour with the needs, priorities, and goals of the organization, and to promote organizational goals to meet organizational needs. It also includes acting in accordance with organizational decisions and behaving with integrity.

Relationship Building is working to build or maintain ethical relationships or networks or contacts with people who are, or may be, potentially helpful in achieving work-related goals and establishing advantages. These people may include customers, clients, counterparts, colleagues, etc.

Results Orientation is a concern for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be one’s own past performance (striving for improvement), an objective measure (achievement orientation), challenging goals that one has set, or even improving or surpassing what has already been done (continuous improvement). Thus, a unique accomplishment also indicates a results orientation.

Service Orientation implies a desire to identify and serve customers/clients, who may include the public, colleagues, partners (e.g. educational institutes, non-government organizations, etc.), co-workers, peers, branches, ministries/agencies and other government organizations. It means focusing one's efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of the customer/client.

Teamwork and Co-operation is the ability to work co-operatively within diverse teams, work groups and across the organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability to understand and respond effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.

We would like to thank all candidates for their interest, however only those being considered for this role will be contacted.