Director, Payroll and Accounting

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping approximately 50 million Americans access the care and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. We have more than 6,400 employees and associates in our partner dental practices and operate nationwide.

Visit our website to discover how Sun Life is making life brighter for our customers, partners and communities.  

Job Description:

Sun Life embraces a hybrid work model that balances in-office collaboration with the flexibility of virtual work.  Our team members and leaders are expected to foster connection and teamwork by being present in the office at least 2 days per week.

Join Sun Life as a Manager of Payroll & Employee Benefits Accounting, where you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring financial accuracy and compliance for our entire US workforce. This high-impact position offers the opportunity to lead critical financial operations, mentor a talented team, and drive operational excellence across multiple benefit programs and pension plans. Reporting directly to the AVP of Product Accounting, you'll oversee essential financial processes that directly support our employees' compensation, benefits, and retirement security.

How you will contribute:

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor a small team of accounting professionals, fostering their growth and technical expertise

• Drive continuous process improvements and eliminate exceptions across all payroll and benefit accounting operations

• Partner with cross-functional teams including Payroll Processing, Treasury, Corporate Tax, Employee Benefits, Human Resources, and Total Rewards

Financial Stewardship & Compliance

• Oversee bi-weekly ADP payroll accounting for all Sun Life US employees

• Manage complete accounting lifecycle for Sun Life Pension Plan, 401(k), and RIA Savings Plans

• Ensure accurate GL accounting for all company-sponsored employee benefit plans

• Approve payroll and employee benefit wires through the Web Series banking system

• Serve as Business Unit Control for critical SOX compliance processes

Audit & Reporting Excellence

• Lead annual audits of Pension and 401(k)/RIA Savings Plans

• Prepare comprehensive NAIC employee benefit footnotes and disclosures

• Coordinate with external actuarial consultants on quarterly and annual plan valuations

• Prepare Form 5500 tax filings and audited financial statements for retirement plans

• Support US Corporate Tax return preparation with accurate financial data

Month-End & Close Leadership

• Direct daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes

• Perform GL account reconciliations and resolve material variances

• Prepare and/or approve corporate audit workpapers for Canadian parent company reporting

• Provide insightful financial analysis and reporting to senior management

What you will bring with you:

• BS/BA in Accounting or Finance (CPA strongly preferred)

• 7-10 years private accounting OR 5-7 years combined public/private experience

• 2-3 years supervising and developing accounting professionals

• Strong command of GAAP; working knowledge of NAIC and IFRS

• Proficiency with SAP, Workday, Hyperion, and Tableau

• Advanced Excel skills (including VBA)

• Experience with multi-entity reporting structures and monthly close processes

• Exposure to ADP Global View and ADP Payroll processes

• Knowledge of federal and state tax preparation and reporting

• Understanding of NAIC accounting rules for employee benefits

• Experience with pension plan and 401(k) accounting and audits

• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills

• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict deadlines

• Strong delegation and workload management capabilities

• Continuous improvement mindset with strategic thinking ability

Salary Range: $139,000 - $208,500
At our company, we are committed to pay transparency and equity. The salary range for this rol