Senior HR Generalist

We are seeking an experienced Senior HR Generalist to support our Canadian organization, with a primary focus on our Guelph, Ontario office operations. This is a hands-on, highly operational HR role with responsibility across the employee lifecycle.

The Senior HR Generalist will provide trusted HR support to employees and leaders while managing HR administration, employee relations, payroll, year-end closeout activities, employment-law compliance, benefits and leave administration, and support departments with administrative tasks.

The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of progressive HR experience, strong knowledge of applicable Ontario and Canadian employment requirements, practical payroll experience, and the ability to balance detailed administrative responsibilities with effective business partnership.

Hybrid role - must be able to come into the Guelph, Ontario, Canada office 3 days per week.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Human Resources & Employee Relations

• Serve as a primary HR contact for Canadian employees and managers, providing guidance on HR policies, procedures, employee relations, performance management, attendance, leaves, workplace conduct, and employment matters.
• Partner with managers to address employee relations issues, including coaching, performance concerns, corrective action, workplace investigations, accommodations, and employment separations.
• Support managers with performance-management processes, including goal setting, performance reviews, performance improvement plans, documentation, and employee development.
• Conduct or support workplace investigations involving employee complaints, harassment, discrimination, workplace conduct, and other employee-relations matters.
• Support accommodation processes and coordinate with employees, managers, benefits providers, and other appropriate parties.
• Prepare and maintain employment documentation, including offer letters, employment agreements, amendments, compensation changes, and termination documentation.
• Maintain accurate and confidential employee records throughout the employee lifecycle.

Employment Law & HR Compliance

• Apply a strong working knowledge of applicable Ontario and Canadian employment requirements to day-to-day HR activities.
• Maintain working knowledge of the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, including requirements relating to hours of work, overtime, vacation, public holidays, leaves, termination, severance, wages, and related employment standards.
• Maintain working knowledge of the Ontario Human Rights Code, including prohibited grounds of discrimination, accommodation obligations, and workplace human-rights requirements.
• Support compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including workplace violence and harassment requirements.
• Support compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and accessible employment practices.
• Support applicable WSIB/Workplace Safety and Insurance Act requirements.
• Maintain awareness of applicable privacy, pay equity, employment-record, and payroll requirements.
• Where applicable to the organization's industry or operations, maintain working knowledge of federal employment requirements, including the Canada Labor Code.
• Monitor changes to applicable employment legislation and assist with updating policies, procedures, forms, and HR practices.
• Escalate complex or high-risk employment matters to HR leadership and/or qualified legal counsel as appropriate.

Payroll

• Run or administer regular payroll processes accurately and on schedule.
• Review payroll inputs and employee changes for completeness and accuracy before payroll submission.
• Process payroll-related changes, including compensation adjustments, bonuses, commissions, deductions, benefits, group RRSP contributions, direct deposit changes, vacation, leaves, taxable benefits, and employment-status changes.
• Maintain accurate employee payroll records.
• Support applicable statutory payroll requirements, including income-tax deductions, CPP, EI, taxable benefits, vacation pay, public holiday pay, and related employer obligations.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies in partnership with Finance and payroll providers.
• Coordinate with internal and external payroll partners to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing.
• Experience with Paylocity and/or Blue Marble is strongly preferred; experience with comparable HRIS/payroll systems will also be considered.

Year-End Closeout

• Lead or support annual HR and payroll year-end closeout activities.
• Reconcile payroll, employee compensation, benefits, taxable benefits, deduction, group RRSP contributions and vacation information.
• Support preparation and validation of applicable year-end payroll reporting, OEHT reporting, including T4s and related employee documentation.
• Partner with Finance and payroll providers on year-end reconciliations and reporting.
• Research and resolve discrepancies prior to applicable reporting deadlines.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and audit trails for year-end activities.

Recruitment

• Experience with the full-cycle recruitment process.

HR Administration

• Maintain accurate HRIS, personnel, payroll, benefits, and compliance records.
• Manage onboarding and offboarding administration, including required documentation, benefits enrollment or termination, group RRSP enrollment, payroll changes, system-access coordination, and exit processes.
• Prepare HR letters, employee communications, forms, reports, and other documentation.
• Maintain organizational charts, employee lists, workforce reports, and HR data.
• Track employee certifications, training, required documentation, probationary periods, and other HR deadlines.
• Assist with benefits and group RRSP administration and employee questions.
• Lead annual insurance benefit renewals with the support of finance.
• Provide general administrative support to the HR function.
• Assist with HR projects, audits, process improvements, and other operational initiatives.

Education and Experience:

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive Human Resources Generalist experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable Ontario and Canadian employment legislation and employment practices.
• Strong employee-relations experience, including performance management, workplace investigations, accommodations, leaves, and employment separations.
• Hands-on experience processing payroll for both hourly and salaried employees.

Experience supporting:

• Employee relations
• Workplace investigations
• Discipline and performance management
• Recruitment
• Training and development
• Processing WCB
• Job analysis

Strong knowledge of:

• Employment Standards legislation
• Human Rights legislation
• Accommodation practices
• Disability management
• Employee relations best practices
• Proficiency with HRIS, payroll, time and attendance systems, applicant tracking systems, preferably Paylocity/Blue Marble, and Microsoft Office.
• Excellent communication, judgment, organization, confidentiality, follow-through, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently while partnering effectively with other departments and business leaders.
• Demonstrated judgment, discretion, professionalism, and confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CHRL, CPHR, or equivalent professional HR designation
• Experience supporting employees or operations across multiple Canadian jurisdictions.
• Experience in a technology, or professional services environment.
• Experience with payroll audits, HR audits, benefits audits, or compliance reviews.
• Experience partnering with Accounting/Finance on payroll reconciliations and year-end close.
• Experience working with external payroll, benefits, pension, legal, or HR service providers.

What We Offer:

• RRSP program
• Paid time off
• Hybrid work arrangements
• Professional development

Physical/Mental Requirements for the Job:

• Prolonged periods of sedentary movement.
• May be requested to work overtime and weekends if deemed necessary
• Must be able to lift at least 20 pounds
• Certain management positions might be required to occasionally travel