Gane Ariarajah

Helping businesses pay accurately, comply confidently, and focus on growth. Finance and payroll specialist with 14+ years at a Big 4 firm, Ernst & Young LLP, and senior roles in global AP, payroll, and project finance at Four Seasons and Valspar, overseeing complex full cycle payroll and global settlements for multi jurisdictional workforces. Expert in Ceridian Dayforce and Oracle 11i, with a proven history of optimizing working capital and implementing automated banking solutions to enhance payment security.

Highly skilled in navigating rigorous audit requirements and legislative compliance while leading cross-functional teams toward excellence.

Payroll Specialist at Ernst & Young LLP, EY LAW LLP, EY Electronic Publishing, EY Services and EY Partnership (2015-07 – 2025-12)

Delivered accurate and compliant semi-monthly payroll for a multi-jurisdiction workforce by executing full-cycle processing under tight deadlines, consistently meeting legislative, policy, and internal control requirements. Handled 2,500 plus EY TAX service, EY LAW, EY Services and EY Electronic Publishing line salaried employees' payroll plus restricted seasonal tax assembler's payroll processing. Maintained employee sensitive payroll records across the entire employment lifecycle in Ceridian Dayforce from onboarding and salary changes to leaves and terminations, ensuring data integrity and audit readiness.

Served as the primary point of contact for government agencies, including the CRA, Service Canada and WCB, while coordinating internal and external audits. Performed complex financial reconciliations of Payroll Liability G/L accounts and facilitated technical reporting through Ceridian's report writer and advanced spreadsheet analysis. Administered specialized compensation and benefits, including quarterly taxable benefit filings, garnishment remittances, and intricate "top-up" calculations for family leaves.

Advised internal stakeholders across HR and Finance on payroll legislation and company policy, providing interpretation to resolve inquiries from staff and third-party agencies.

• Monthly payroll reconciliation and also journal entries if required.
• Prepare monthly Pension accounts requisitions to Desjardins, ex: Defined Contribution plan, RRSP, TFSA, FHSA and United Way payments requisitions
• Provide support during payroll system implementation by testing transactions in the testing environment.
• Proactively restored ROE by identifying a digital alternative, replacing paper ROEs with electronic ROEs in collaboration with the payroll provider, and completing implementation within one month.
• Influenced production configuration during the Ceridian Dayforce implementation by reviewing test entries, identifying payroll setup gaps, and recommending improvements such as revised bonus tax codes and rates that management approved and applied in production.

Global Settlement Officer at Ernst & Young LLP, EY LAW LLP, EY Electronic Publishing, EY Services and EY Partnership (2011-07 – 2015-03)

Ensured on-time settlement of global inter-firm obligations by overseeing the complete Accounts Payable and Receivable cycle, validating invoice accuracy, and executing secure online wire payments across multiple jurisdictions. Maintained optimal global cash flow and liquidity by proactively tracking payment receipts against deadlines, resolving delinquent accounts within 48 hours, and escalating high-risk discrepancies to senior leadership for rapid resolution. Preserved ledger integrity and reduced financial exposure by conducting aging report analysis that identified potential write-offs, while addressing root causes of recurring billing and payment mismatches.

Coordinated international tax and audit requirements, including the reconciliation of Foreign Withholding Tax (WHT) and the preparation of precise schedules for year-end reviews. Exercised operational leadership by aligning daily workflows with critical settlement timelines, delegating tasks based on capacity and priority, and serving as the trusted liaison between suppliers, finance, and cross-functional partners.

• Reduced payment processing effort and risk by initiating a shift from manual cheques to wire and EFT payments, coordinating vendor banking outreach, and achieving 90% electronic payments within six months while eliminating postage costs and lost cheques.
• Captured vendor discounts and reduced spend by standardizing payment terms in the vendor master, prioritizing rush, 10-day, 30-day, and 60-day schedules to ensure timely payments and realized cost savings.

Project Accounts Payable Supervisor (P&PS) at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Corporate Office (2010-03 – 2011-04)

Led and mentored a team of clerks through high-volume accounts payable cycles for major corporate developments. Strengthened stakeholder transparency and trust by delivering comprehensive financial reporting packages to project owners, detailing budget alignment, cash flow status and supplier payment history. Enhanced payment security and operational speed through the implementation of automated wire transfer systems and the strategic setup of new treasury accounts via Scotia Connect.

Ensured capital project fiscal discipline by managing budgets for new hotel developments and major renovations, with monthly reviews of financial statements that supported decision-making. Protected project margins and supply chain reliability by validating adjustment purchase orders for freight and tax variances and collaborating with shipping firms to verify the successful receipt of assets. Performed monthly reconciliations of cash books and bank statements, ensuring the recording of all daily transactions and resolving discrepancies with financial institutions.

• Improved team coverage and service continuity by cross training employees across multiple duties, reducing disruption and ensuring uninterrupted operations during unplanned absences.

Accounts Payable Accountant at Valspar Inc - Manufacturer of Paint and Coatings (2003-01 – 2009-12)

Guided and mentored a team of Accounts Payable Coordinators while providing local and corporate leadership with critical Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate departmental health. Managed complex month-end closures, including the reconciliation of General Ledger accounts, accrued liabilities, and currency revaluations in accordance with GAAP and internal policies. Directed technical system migrations by validating and transferring data from legacy systems (Oracle Gemms and AS 400 Infinium) to Oracle 11i while implementing Enhanced Positive Pay for multiple bank accounts.

Administered corporate expense programs, overseeing Visa card programs and out-of-pocket expenses while delivering detailed monthly reporting packages to plant and sales managers.

• Optimized working capital performance by extending Days Payable Outstanding (DPO) from 45 to 60 days and establishing matching tolerances that increased operational output without compromising internal controls.
• Advanced departmental productivity through value stream mapping to refine processes and the automation of inter-company invoicing to ensure rapid validation and clearing.

Payroll Compliance Practitioner, certification – National Payroll Institute (NPI) (2015 – 2015)

– Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA) (2014)

Associated Art degree – MIU, Oslo, Norway (1989)