Senior Payroll Specialist

Job description

Primary Function of Position

Ensure the timely, accurate, and compliant delivery of payroll across multiple countries within the region through effective partnership with HR, Finance, external payroll providers, and other key stakeholders. The Senior Payroll Analyst serves as a subject matter expert and trusted partner, driving operational excellence across the entire payroll lifecycle. This role requires a holistic view of payroll processes, strong analytical capabilities, and a continuous improvement mindset to identify root causes, enhance efficiency, strengthen controls, and improve the overall employee experience.

Operating in a fast-paced international environment with tight payroll deadlines, the Senior Payroll Analyst must demonstrate agility, adaptability, and a collaborative approach while supporting multiple countries and providing backup coverage across the wider payroll team as needed.

Roles and Responsibilities

Manage the end-to-end payroll process for multiple countries, ensuring payroll is processed accurately, compliantly, and within strict deadlines. Partner closely with HR, Total Rewards, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, Tax, Mobility, and external payroll providers to ensure seamless payroll operations and consistent employee support. Act as a key liaison between internal stakeholders and outsourced payroll providers, ensuring quality service delivery, timely issue resolution, and adherence to service level expectations.

Review and validate payroll inputs, calculations, and outputs, ensuring accuracy of employee transactions including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, benefits, taxes, and statutory deductions. Prepare payroll-related month-end accounting entries, accruals, reconciliations, and support audit requirements. Ensure all payroll filings, statutory submissions, year-end declarations, and compliance obligations are completed accurately and on time.

Serve as a trusted point of contact for employees and managers on payroll-related matters, providing clear, professional, and customer-focused support. Conduct thorough root cause analysis of payroll issues, identifying underlying drivers and implementing sustainable corrective and preventive actions. Proactively identify process improvement opportunities and drive initiatives to simplify, standardize, automate, and strengthen payroll processes and controls.

Develop and maintain comprehensive process documentation, ensuring knowledge sharing and business continuity. Provide support and backup coverage for other countries and payroll team members as business needs require, demonstrating flexibility and teamwork across the function. Contribute to fostering a positive, collaborative, and solution-oriented team culture focused on delivering excellence. Primary point of contact for employees’ questions related to payroll including social insurance, tax, and Company car; Participate to payroll/Finance projects upon request.

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Minimum 5 years’ experience in a payroll function within multinational work environment Understanding and experience in managing complex payroll process in a multi country environment or in a company providing service to multiple customers Advanced knowledge of German payroll Experience working with / managing external partners, e.g. payroll provider would be an asset Figures oriented, exceptional attention to details A collaborative and partnership-oriented mindset.

The ability to influence without authority and build strong relationships across functions. Courage to challenge existing processes while maintaining a constructive and respectful approach. Curiosity and creativity to identify better ways of working. Resilience and adaptability in a dynamic, international environment. A commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence. Professionalism, diplomacy, and the ability to communicate difficult messages with clarity, empathy and firmness when needed.

Fluent in English and German, French would be a plus Accounting knowledge would be a plus #LI-hybrid