Payroll & Accounting Specialist

Posted 23 days ago

Job Details

Full Time

Location

Vancouver, BC

Salary

dollar sign 75,000 to 80,000 per year

Job Description

Who — the Organization
Swim Recruiting is partnering with Columbia College, a well-established Vancouver-based post-secondary institution known for its collaborative, people-focused culture and long employee tenure.
The College is currently navigating a period of transition, including organizational restructuring and a planned merger with a university that is expected to expand program offerings into bachelor’s degrees and strengthen long-term sustainability. While there are short-term changes, the organization is positioning itself for future growth and stability.
Leadership is looking for someone who brings reliability, accountability, and a steady presence, and who is interested in contributing to a function that is expected to evolve as the organization grows.

What — the Role
Swim Recruiting is conducting a search for a Payroll & Accounting Specialist. This is a newly restructured full-time role that blends core payroll responsibilities with accounting support. Reporting to the Accounting Manager and working closely with HR, the Specialist will play a key role in ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll operations, while supporting payroll-related accounting processes.Key responsibilities include:Payroll (primary focus)

End-to-end processing of a BC-based payroll using Avanti.
Ensuring compliance with BC Employment Standards and statutory requirements.
Managing payroll changes including hires, terminations, ROEs, leaves, and benefits updates.
Handling a higher volume of terminations and employee inquiries in a restructuring environment.
Responding to employee questions in a clear, professional, and timely manner.
Maintaining accurate payroll records and audit-ready documentation.

Accounting (secondary focus)

Preparing payroll-related journal entries in Microsoft Dynamics.
Supporting reconciliations and month-end close processes.
Assisting with payroll reporting and variance analysis.
Partnering with Finance and HR on compensation, benefits, and policy-related matters.

This is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys being directly involved in the work, understands payroll in detail, and can operate independently while collaborating across teams.

Who- the Candidate
We are seeking a payroll professional who is comfortable working in a changing environment and who brings both technical capability and a strong sense of ownership over their work.
Ideal candidates will bring:

3–5+ years of full-cycle payroll experience in British Columbia.
Strong working knowledge of BC Employment Standards and payroll compliance.
Experience processing payroll in a structured system environment (Avanti is an asset).
Exposure to payroll accounting, including journal entries and reconciliations.
Ability to clearly explain payroll processes and demonstrate hands-on ownership.
Experience handling employee inquiries with professionalism and sound judgment.

You will stand out if you:

Have completed or are pursuing the PCP designation.
Bring experience in a post-secondary or similarly structured environment.
Show interest in developing your payroll and accounting skillset over time.
Are proactive, detail-oriented, and able to work with minimal supervision.

This role is best suited to someone who is engaged in payroll as a function and interested in growing within it over time.

Systems & Skills

Experience with Avanti (payroll system) is an asset.
Experience with Microsoft Dynamics (ERP/accounting) is an asset.
Strong Excel skills for data validation, reporting, and analysis.
Ability to work with structured systems and maintain data accuracy.

How Much

Base salary: $75,000 – $80,000.
Potential for salary progression following initial performance review (approx. 6 months).
Comprehensive health and dental benefits.
RRSP matching.

Where
The role is based in Vancouver and requires regular on-site presence. Current structure is four days in office and one day from home, subject to operational needs. Candidates should be comfortable working primarily on-site and being present with the team.

When & How to Apply
Swim Recruiting is presenting short-listed candidates directly to the hiring team. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to your Swim contact or apply through our website.

About Swim Recruiting

SWIM provides Permanent and Contract Recruitment Services in a variety of specializations and industries. Our well established client network includes small businesses right through to large global corporations.