Specialist, HR and Accounting

At X-Chem, it is our mission to leverage the world’s leading drug discovery platform to help create molecules that will improve human health.  At X-Chem, we do more than screen compounds. We help you make confident decisions that move science forward. Our integrated platform combines DNA-encoded libraries, medicinal chemistry, advanced modeling and proprietary AI into a powerful and precise discovery engine. Everything is connected through Chemomics, our approach to unlocking value from every data point. Whether you’re exploring a new target or refining a lead, we help you discover high-quality molecules with greater speed, insight and control.

X-Chem is seeking a candidate for the position of Specialist, HR and Accounting, a new Montreal based role created to provide local HR, accounting, and finance administrative support for Canada. Reporting to the SVP, Global Head of HR, the role also has a dotted line relationship to the Director, Accounting and Finance, and requires strong attention to detail, accuracy, and follow through across all HR and accounting/finance activities. This is an onsite role, requiring regular presence in the office in Ville St-Laurent to support local HR, accounting, finance, and employee experience activities.

The incubent supports the SVP, Global Head of HR in executing Canadian HR operations, including employee lifecycle administration, recruitment coordination, performance management cycle support, HR systems maintenance, workforce reporting, payroll related data coordination, and compliance administration. The role requires careful documentation, accurate data entry, and timely follow up.  The role also provides accounting and finance administration support to the Director, Accounting and Finance, including data reconciliation, documentation, reporting, vendor and invoice coordination, and related support activities as assigned. This position assumes many recurring operational and administrative activities previously supported through external consulting support and requires a high level of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail.

Job Responsibilities:

Local HR Operations and Employee Lifecycle Administration

• Serve as an HR operations support resource for the Montreal site and Canadian employee population.
• Coordinate employee lifecycle activities, including recruitment administration, onboarding, employee changes, transfers, promotions, leaves, employment documentation, and offboarding.
• Prepare employment letters, internal documentation, employee records, and other HR related materials.
• Respond to routine employee and manager inquiries regarding HR processes, documentation, systems, and timelines.
• Maintain organized HR records and ensure timely follow up on operational HR activities.
• Support employee communications, recognition activities, service milestones, and site level employee experience initiatives as required.

Recruitment and Onboarding Support

• Coordinate recruitment administration activities for Canadian roles in partnership with the SVP, Global Head of HR and hiring managers, including job posting administration, candidate coordination, interview scheduling, candidate communications, and recruitment documentation.
• Track open roles, vacancies, hiring activity, candidate status, and recruitment related follow up.
• Coordinate onboarding logistics, new hire documentation, system setup follow-up, orientation scheduling, and manager reminders.
• Support new hire integration through timely communication, documentation, and coordination with internal stakeholders.

Performance Management and Talent Process Administration

• Support administration of the annual performance management cycle for the Canadian employee population. 
• Coordinate timelines, communications, reminders, completion tracking, and reporting for performance reviews.
• Support promotion, merit, bonus, and talent process administration through accurate tracking, documentation, scheduling, and follow up, as directed by the SVP, Global Head of HR.
• Maintain accurate documentation and reporting related to performance management and talent processes.
• Provide administrative support for follow-up actions arising from performance and talent review cycles.

SuccessFactors, HR Data, and Workforce Reporting

• Maintain employee data, position data, reporting relationships, organizational structure, and employment changes in SuccessFactors and related HR systems with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Track FTEs, contractors, vacancies, organizational changes, new hires, departures, and workforce movements.
• Prepare recurring HR reports, headcount summaries, and ad hoc data requests. Validate information, identify data inconsistencies, and work with HR, Finance, payroll, and managers to resolve them.

Payroll, PTO, Benefits, and Leave Administration

• Provide PTO, vacation, leave, and employee change data for payroll purposes.
• Support payroll input preparation, validation, documentation, and follow up in partnership with the Director, Accounting and Finance.
• Coordinate benefits administration support, employee benefits inquiries, benefits documentation, and annual renewal support as required.
• Track leave of absence activity, return to work documentation, parental leave documentation, disability related administration, and related follow up.
• Ensure payroll related HR data is accurate, timely, and appropriately documented.

HR and Accounting Data Reconciliation

• Reconcile HR, payroll, and Finance data to support accurate headcount, compensation, workforce cost, and budget reporting.
• Validate FTE, contractor, vacancy, and employee movement information across HR records, payroll records, and Finance reporting.
• Support monthly and annual workforce cost reporting, budget preparation, forecast updates, and variance follow up as directed. 
• Maintain organized documentation supporting HR and Accounting reconciliations, audit requests, and internal control requirements, ensuring records are accurate, complete, and easy to retrieve.
• Support the SVP, Global Head of HR and Director, Accounting and Finance in maintaining accurate and consistent people related financial information. 

Finance Administration and Support

• Provide administrative support to the Director, Accounting and Finance on finance operations, reporting, reconciliation, and documentation activities. Support invoice tracking, vendor documentation, purchase order follow up, expense coding, accrual support, and payment documentation as needed.
• Assist with account reconciliations, schedule preparation, data collection, audit support, and month-end documentation as assigned by the Director, Accounting and Finance. Maintain organized finance administration records and support timely follow up on outstanding items.
• Assist with process documentation and internal control follow up related to finance administration activities.
• Compliance, Documentation, and Process Improvement
• Support Canadian HR compliance administration, government reporting, training declarations, employment documentation, and internal audit requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve administrative processes, data quality, reporting accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Protect confidential employee, payroll, performance, and financial information with sound judgment and discretion.
• Support special projects for HR and /Accounting/Finance as required.

Requirements:

• College diploma in Commerce, Human Resources, Accounting, or related field preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in accounting, HR administration, payroll coordination, or related administrative roles.

Other Requirements:

• Experience supporting employee lifecycle processes, recruitment administration, onboarding, performance management cycles, and HR reporting.
• Experience maintaining HR systems and employee data. SuccessFactors/SAP experience is preferred.
• Experience working with payroll data, PTO data, headcount tracking, reporting, reconciliations, budgeting support, invoices, or finance administration, with a demonstrated ability to maintain accuracy across detailed records.
• Knowledge of NetSuite (ERP) and PowerPay (payroll provider) is considered an asset.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Bilingual in English and French.

The company works on the discovery of small molecule therapeutic agents for drug research with colleagues and partners outside Quebec with whom interaction is constant.  Accordingly, knowledge of English is required for this position.

Knowledge of French is required for positions permanently located in Quebec so incumbents can communicate with their colleagues and suppliers in Quebec as necessary. French-language training will be offered to all incombents in permanent positions in Quebec who do not have a good knowledge of French.

Our research scientists innovate beyond reported chemistry while focusing on delivery. We all share a passion for staying at the forefront of medicinal and synthetic chemistry. To drive innovation, we acknowledge the importance of intelligent risk-taking, open-mindedness and initiative. We encourage creativity in an informal environment and recognize everyone’s contribution as part of a team to work together toward a common vision.

What are the benefits joining us?

We are focused on the development and career progression of our people to reach their full potential through workshops, training courses and mentor guidance. X-Chem offers competitive compensation (salary and performance incentive) and interesting benefits package. Benefits we offer include: Medical, Dental, STD/LTD and Life Insurance, Retirement Plan with employer match; paid vacations starting at 3 weeks plus paid Christmas shutdown; casual dress, vision care including prescription safety glasses, training sessions and workshops, social hours and team-building company events.