Global Payroll Implementation Lead
The successful candidate will serve as the central architect and “air traffic controller” for the global rollout. The primary objective is to ensure the successful implementation of our new payroll solution across all global entities, delivering a solution that is technically stable, compliant, and operationally ready, while also ensuring that change is effectively communicated, adopted, and embedded across regions.
The successful candidate will be accountable for aligning technology delivery, operational readiness, and change management, so that go lives are seamless and payroll accuracy and employee trust are protected.
What is in it for you:
· Salaried: $51-$71 per hour.
· Incorporated Business Rate: $63-$83 per hour.
· 12-month contract with strong possibility for extension
· Full-time position: 37.50 hours per week.
· Standard hours: 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday to Friday - with flexibility for evening meetings
· Hybrid model with on-site presence required two or three days per week).
· Location: Waterloo or Toronto, ON.
Responsibilities:
· Implementation Roadmap & Integrated Planning and Delivery
Establish and maintain the global implementation master schedule, defining clear milestones, go‑live dates, and critical paths for each region, ensuring change, communications, training, and readiness activities are fully integrated into the deployment plan.
· Stakeholder Leadership & Change Alignment
Form and lead a cross‑functional “Working Team” comprising Finance, Payroll Operations, HR, Legal, IT, and regional leaders to align technical delivery with people, process, and change impacts, ensuring local requirements are understood and actions are completed on time.
· IT & HRIS Leadership Interface
Act as the primary bridge between Payroll and IT/HRIS teams, ensuring system configuration, data mapping, and integrations support not only accurate payroll processing, but also operational usability and adoption post‑go‑live.
· End‑to‑End Testing & Readiness Assurance
Design and oversee UAT and Parallel Run strategies, validating technical accuracy while confirming operational readiness, role clarity, and transition preparedness prior to launch.
· Vendor & Partner Orchestration
Serve as the main point of escalation and collaboration with the global payroll vendor, ensuring delivery aligns with internal requirements, timelines, and change readiness expectations.
· Change Management & Adoption Oversight
Own the alignment of change management activities with implementation delivery, including:
o Ensuring clear, timely communications to employees and leaders
- Supporting training and enablement strategies with Change and HR partners
- Driving readiness checkpoints and go‑live decision criteria
- Anticipating adoption risks and embedding mitigation into deployment plans
What you will need to succeed:
- 7+ years of experience in Global Payroll, HR Project Management, HRIS Implementation, or large‑scale transformation delivery
- Proven experience managing multi‑country vendor transitions
- Deep understanding of payroll compliance, controls, and testing methodologies (UAT, Parallel Runs)
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes across data, process, and operating models
- Experience with change management and project management with ability to understand change impacts and ensure proper plans are in place.
- Comfortable working with data, storytelling insights, and driving outcomes within a project plan
- Implementation Expert: Must have led at least one full‑cycle global payroll implementation or migration for a mid‑to‑large organization and understand the human and operational realities of payroll change.
- Systems & Process Savvy: Can speak “HRIS” fluently (Workday) and understand how data, processes, and people intersect in payroll delivery.
- Disciplined Delivery Leader: Brings strong project governance, structure, and execution discipline across complex, multi‑country rollouts.
- Change‑Aware & Influential: Knows how to balance technical accountability with stakeholder engagement, and recognizes that successful implementation depends on readiness, communication, and trust.
- Resilient & Outcome‑Focused: Thrives in the intensity of an 18‑month transformation and takes pride in delivering a solution that works on Day 1and sticks.
Why Recruit Action?
Recruit Action (agency permit: AP-2504511) provides recruitment services through quality support and a personalized approach. As part of the screening process, some applications may be reviewed using artificial intelligence tools. Only candidates who meet the hiring criteria will be contacted.
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Pay: $51.00-$83.00 per hour
Application question(s):
- Have you led a full-cycle global payroll implementation or migration for a mid-to-large organization? (This is a requirement)
- Are you comfortable reporting into the office 2-3 days per week in the Waterloo or Toronto office?
Experience:
- global payroll or HR Projects or HRIS implementation: 7 years (required)
- multi-country vendor transitions: 1 year (required)
- payroll, compliance, controls: 1 year (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Toronto, ON (York District)
