Senior Payroll Specialist - EMEA - Global Payroll

Overview

This role is responsible for managing end-to-end global payroll processing across multiple countries. Responsibilities include payroll validation, statutory compliance, coordination with payroll vendors, client/stakeholder management, issue resolution, and ensuring accurate, timely payroll delivery.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for multiple countries and entities.
• Perform detailed payroll calculations and payroll validation before finalization.
• Review payroll registers, variance reports, payslips, funding requirements, and payroll reports.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately and within agreed timelines.
• Coordinate with local payroll vendors, in-country partners, internal payroll providers, and internal teams.
• Ensure compliance with applicable tax, social security, pension, provident fund, and other statutory requirements.
• Monitor changes in local payroll legislation and assess their impact on payroll processing.
• Investigate payroll discrepancies and perform root cause analysis (RCA).
• Handle payroll queries and resolve employee/client issues within agreed SLAs.
• Manage payroll escalations and ensure timely resolution of critical issues.
• Coordinate with Finance teams for payroll funding, salary disbursement, and statutory payments.
• Support payroll reconciliations and month-end activities.
• Maintain accurate payroll documentation, process trackers, and audit records.
• Participate in payroll transitions, migrations, implementations, and new-country launches.
• Conduct UAT and parallel payroll testing for payroll system changes and new implementations.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and payroll automation.
• Support internal and external payroll audits.
• Prepare and maintain SOPs, process documentation, and knowledge repositories.
• Provide guidance and knowledge-sharing to junior payroll specialists.

Requirements

• 5–8+ years of relevant payroll experience.
• Strong experience in end-to-end payroll processing.
• Experience handling multi-country/global payroll.
• Strong understanding of payroll statutory compliance.
• Strong payroll reconciliation and analytical skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple payrolls and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong stakeholder and client management skills.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong Excel skills and data validation.
• Experience working with payroll/HRIS platforms.
• Ability to independently investigate and resolve payroll issues.
• Strong understanding of payroll controls, audit requirements, and data confidentiality.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple payroll deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet strict payroll timelines in a high-pressure environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong experience in multi-country payroll in EMEA region.

Compensation & Benefits

• Not specified.

Location

• EMEA region (multi-country payroll experience required).