Manager, Payroll and Benefits (North America)

Company Description

Location:  25 York Street, Toronto, Canada

Vacancy: This posting is for an existing open role at WildBrain’s Toronto office.

Hybrid work: Employees work in a hybrid model balancing collaboration in our office and remote work.

Find a job that lets your imagination run wild!

WildBrain is made up of a team of innovators and creators who bring industry-leading kids’ content and brands to families globally. We inspire imagination, put creativity first and believe in the power of storytelling. We are constantly connecting the powers of our global team, making WildBrain a collaborative, openminded and passionate environment to work in.  To work at WildBrain means you get to create stories that lets imaginations run wild. Join our team today and make us part of your story!

About the Role

This role manages a small team that executes Canadian and US Payroll across multiple entities. This manager is also responsible for overseeing and executing against all health and welfare plans, retirement plans and leave management for WildBrain’s North American offices. The role works closely with the VP, Global Talent Operation on plan designs and long-term strategy, but is responsible for ongoing execution, state and federal compliance and management of invoicing and remittances across the Payroll and Benefits function. A successful Manager rolls up their sleeves to get the work done while providing supervision and guidance to the team as well.

Job Description

• Review the bi-weekly payroll process to ensure that all employees are paid timely and accurately
• Oversee the administration of benefit programs and ensure the enrolment of all eligible employees is complete
• Maintain an understanding of and ensure compliance with state/provincial and federal regulations around payroll, time management, absence management, retirement and health and welfare programs
• Develop, maintain and document payroll and benefits policies and procedures for Canada and the US
• Work closely with Talent Systems on system maintenance and configuration in support of compliant and accurate payroll
• Work with the VP, Global Talent Operations to analyze the current benefit programs and provide recommendations to improve it
• Maintain relationships with benefit carriers and brokers, with the support of the VP, Global Talent Operations
• Coordinate (and conduct as needed) regular training and workshops to educate employees about benefit plans and answer any questions they might have
• Act as a liaison between employees and benefit carriers during claims escalation progress
• Own employee communication around Benefits, including all documentation shared on The Hub and Talent Space. Communicate to employees on a frequent basis on such topics as Wellness, Health, Retirement and WildBrain’s employee offerings. Will also include collaboration with the EMEA & APAC Talent team on global initiatives
• Oversee the timely receipt, breakdown and payment of all invoices related to Benefits and Payroll services
• Lead the execution of equity processing that flows through US and Canadian payrolls
• Lead  absence management in the US and Canada, working with internal teams and vendors to ensure compliance and also provide a good experience to employees navigating the process
• Manage annual and bi-annual Open Enrollment periods for employees, working with Communications, the Talent Management team, vendors and brokers, and internal systems teams to execute cleanly.
• Be knowledgeable about current industry trends and market competitiveness, bringing recommendations to the VP, Global Talent Operations
• Coordinate the global quarterly accruals for Finance around employee payments

Additional accountabilities:

1. Ensure completion of quarterly reporting for Finance teams (vacation and severance)
2. Contribute to all Audit activities, running reports, fielding queries and supporting on both internal and external audits
3. Annual refresh and calculation of fringe rates for Canada and the US, based on anticipated plan design changes, population changes and statutory requirements
4. Oversee all Compliance Reporting in Canada and the US, including ACA Reporting, 401(K) Discrimination testing and 5500 filings, etc.
5. Lead preparation and execution of all year-end activities, partnering with Talent Systems to ensure timely updates to tax rates, benefit rates, etc
6. Ownership of all documentation and communication available on The Hub and Talent Space around Payroll and Benefits
7. Coordinate required reports for Corporate Insurance renewals in North America (e.g. US Workers Comp)

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with a strong customer service mentality and a high degree of integrity, accountability, and emotional intelligence.
• Knowledgeable with state, provincial and federal regulations regarding employment and labor laws
• Experience with UKG HRIS and payroll system preferred
• Excellent analytical and organization skills, with a proficiency in Microsoft Excel preferred

Additional Information

What We Offer

Working at WildBrain is more than a job — it’s the opportunity to join forces with extraordinary, insightful and imaginative people who will recognize your talents and encourage your professional growth and development in a work environment that promotes creativity and individuality.

Total Rewards

At WildBrain, we strive for equitable and consistent pay practices within a robust total rewards framework. Compensation may vary within the same role based on experience, performance, specialized expertise, and overall impact.

Compensation:  $110,000 - 120,000 CAD (with bonus eligibility). Base salary is part of a comprehensive total rewards package that includes:

• Paid time off
• Retirement savings with company matching
• Comprehensive health and dental coverage, with shared premium costs from day one.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Hybrid work model

Our Hiring Process

• Initial virtual screening with our Talent Acquisition team
• Interview with the hiring manager (virtual or in person, TBD)
• Interview with 2–3 key business partners (virtual or in person, TBD)
• Role-specific assessment, where applicable

AI in Our Hiring Process

We use artificial intelligence (AI) to support and enhance the recruitment experience—for example, by organizing applications or surfacing relevant qualifications. AI is never used to make hiring decisions. All decisions are made by our hiring managers and recruitment professionals. AI tools used in our recruitment process are subject to rigorous privacy, security, and risk assessments and are applied in alignment with WildBrain’s Inclusive Hiring framework. We believe technology should enhance human judgment, not replace it.

Our Commitment

Diversity and Inclusion are in our DNA. As a global leader in kids and family entertainment, we strive to reflect and honour the diversity of our audiences around the world. We believe that creating diverse and inclusive content & brands begins with fostering a culture of belonging at WildBrain. To us, a culture of belonging is one where we celebrate and welcome the diversity of all employees, stakeholders, and external partners and strive to create an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and brings their authentic self to work.

We demonstrate our commitment to this by striving to provide a supportive work environment and a corporate culture that welcomes and encourages equal opportunities for all employees. We recognize that people bring experience and talent that goes beyond the technical skills and requirements of a job. If you possess similar experience that is close to what we’ve listed here, we encourage you to please still consider applying. We strongly believe that diverse experience, transferable skills, and passion are key! WildBrain accommodates people with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process. Applicants are encouraged to make their needs known in advance if accommodation is required.

About WildBrain

At WildBrain, we build and grow beloved family brands through exceptional entertainment experiences. Home to franchises such as Strawberry Shortcake, Teletubbies, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Inspector Gadget and Degrassi, we are a global leader in franchise management—bringing stories to life through content production, audience reach and consumer products. Our award-winning studio has partnered with top global platforms such as Apple TV, Netflix and the BBC, producing acclaimed series such as The Snoopy Show, Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City, Teletubbies (2015), Yo Gabba GabbaLand! and Finding Her Edge. The WildBrain Network, offering more than 1,000 channels across YouTube, FAST and AVOD, delivers premium-quality content to today’s kids and families wherever they’re watching—connecting advertisers to audiences at scale through brand-safe media solutions. WildBrain CPLG, our global licensing and consumer products arm, represents our own and partner brands across major territories worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, WildBrain trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at wildbrain.com.

Attention: We have been made aware of individuals and recruitment agencies falsely claiming to represent WildBrain and offering employment opportunities on our behalf.

All legitimate opportunities are managed through our internal Talent Acquisition team and verified partners, and are posted on our official careers page and LinkedIn. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of any outreach, please verify by contacting us directly.