Senior Payroll Manager - Global

Overview

This role leads international payroll consolidation and global payroll operations within HR Operations. It does not include U.S. or Canada payroll, which remain separately managed by the in-house payroll team.

The position is a hybrid of program/project management and deep subject-matter expertise in global payroll practices, compliance, and vendor management. Responsibilities include executing a migration strategy, managing payroll vendors, building backup and continuity planning, and standardizing processes across all international markets.

The organization is integrating Global Blue and rationalizing the international vendor landscape, with payroll operations spanning 35+ countries.

Responsibilities

Global Payroll Consolidation

• Own and project-manage the 1/1/2027 Deel migration for Germany (S4 ~193 employees), Australia (~122 combined), and New Zealand (~169 combined), including timeline planning, testing, parallel runs, and go-live sign-off.
• Build and maintain the international payroll consolidation roadmap for all remaining markets.
• Evaluate feasibility of Deel migration for each country against compliance requirements, vendor capability, and operational complexity.
• Define the consolidation approach for complex markets (France, Italy, Turkey, Lithuania, Argentina, and others) where local presence may be required by law or practical necessity.

Vendor Management

• Own the Deel relationship as the primary global payroll vendor; establish performance accountability, SLA standards, and escalation protocols.
• Manage all remaining international payroll vendor relationships and rationalize/reduce the vendor landscape over time.
• Ensure selected providers deliver compliant, high-performing payroll services with strong Workday integration capability.
• Lead vendor assessments and selection for markets requiring local payroll providers.

Global Backup & Continuity

• Map payroll backup coverage across all 35+ international markets.
• Identify single points of failure and key-person dependencies for each active payroll.
• Implement documented contingency plans for each market to ensure no payroll is left without a continuity plan and an identified backup owner.
• Establish and maintain a payroll risk register with mitigation actions and ownership assignments.

Process Standardization & Compliance

• Implement standardized SOPs and documented approval workflows across all active international payroll markets.
• Establish HR Operations as the accountable payroll function globally, ensuring all international payrolls flow through HR Ops with appropriate controls, audit trails, and Finance alignment.
• Maintain compliance with local tax, labor law, and regulatory requirements across all active markets, leveraging vendor in-country expertise and staying current on statutory changes.

Workday Integration

• Partner with HRIS to define the Workday-to-Deel integration strategy for all consolidated markets.
• Drive implementation to reduce manual data entry and improve payroll accuracy.
• Ensure Workday is used as the system of record for all international payroll inputs.
• Define data standards, integration touchpoints, and audit controls.

Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on experience managing payroll across multiple countries.
• Deep understanding of multi-country compliance, statutory requirements, and local payroll complexity.
• Deel platform familiarity, including configuration, onboarding, and troubleshooting in a multi-country payroll environment (proven experience operating Deel as a payroll platform is a plus).
• Ability to manage external payroll vendors and drive structured consolidation projects end-to-end, including timelines, parallel runs, and cutover management.
• Demonstrated ability to build SOPs, approval workflows, and compliance controls from scratch in an environment with limited existing structure.
• Familiarity with Workday HCM as a payroll input system and experience with or understanding of Workday-to-payroll vendor integrations.
• Comfortable collaborating across HR, Finance, Legal, and IT in a global, matrixed environment.
• Ability to translate payroll complexity for senior HR and Finance leaders and build credibility quickly in a new organization.
• Strong program/project management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience operating Deel as a payroll platform.
• Experience supporting payroll consolidation efforts during integration of international business units.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation and benefits details are not specified.

Location

• International role covering payroll operations across 35+ countries (U.S. and Canada payroll are not included in this scope).