European Payroll Specialist-Associate Manager

Job description

**Position Summary** The Associate Manager, Payroll Service Delivery of International Payroll plays a key role in ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll delivery across multiple countries within our Global Capability Center (GCC) at a **Leading Fortune 500 pharmaceuticals company**. This role supports end-to-end payroll operations, partners closely with regional HR and Finance teams, and helps drive process standardization, system optimization, and service excellence. The ideal candidate brings strong technical payroll expertise, a global mindset, and the ability to lead through complexity in a fast-moving, service-oriented environment. **Key Responsibilities** - **Operations Governance:** Oversee day-to-day international payroll operations across assigned countries, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with local regulations. - **Vendor Management:** Assist with managing relationships with external payroll vendor(s), ensuring service-level adherence, issue resolution, and continuous improvement. - **Financial Controls:** Support payroll processing activities including data validation, audit checks, reconciliations, and approval workflows. - **Strategic Alignment:** Assist in implementing global payroll strategies, standard operating procedures, and process harmonization across the Shared Services Center (SSC). - **Regulatory Compliance:** Monitor regulatory changes in assigned countries and coordinate updates with internal teams and vendors. - **Audit Readiness:** Support internal and external audits by preparing documentation, responding to inquiries, and ensuring controls are followed. - **People Leadership:** Provide guidance and support to payroll operations analysts, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, and customer service. **Required** - **Education:** Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, HR, or a related field. - **Experience:** 8+ years of core **European payroll experience**, including direct exposure to multi-country or international payroll environments. - **Compliance:** Strong understanding of global payroll compliance, statutory requirements, and internal payroll controls. - **Systems:** Experience working with global payroll vendors and enterprise HRIS/payroll architectures (e.g., Workday, SAP, ADP GlobalView, CloudPay). - **Analytics:** Demonstrated ability to analyze complex data sets, isolate system discrepancies, and execute process improvements. - **Stakeholder Management:** Excellent communication skills with comfort collaborating across diverse regions, cultures, and time zones. - **Organization:** Strong organizational skills with the ability to navigate and prioritize multiple deliverables in a shared services framework. **Preferred** - Direct experience operating within a Shared Services Center (SSC) or Global Capability Center (GCC). - Proven supervisory, team-lead, or formal mentoring experience. - Professional industry credentials (e.g., CPP, FPC, or equivalent global payroll certifications). - Region-specific payroll processing experience supporting EMEA, APAC, or LATAM jurisdictions. **Work Environment** - **Location:** Based in our Global Capability Center (GCC) with hybrid work flexibility (3 days in office). - **Schedule:** May require occasional early morning or evening meetings to support global operational time zones.