Are you a strategic payroll leader with a passion for delivering exceptional client service and operational excellence Acclime Malaysia is seeking an experienced Head of Payroll Services to lead our payroll outsourcing business. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, delivering outstanding client service, leading a high-performing team, and achieving business growth through revenue and EBITDA targets.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee the end-to-end payroll operations, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery across the client portfolio.
- Drive operational excellence by meeting client Service Level Agreements (SLAs), internal Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and commercial targets, including revenue and EBITDA.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, serving as a trusted advisor and escalation point to ensure exceptional service delivery.
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing payroll team by fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Partner with the Business Development team to support client acquisition, participate in proposal presentations, and identify opportunities to grow the payroll business.
- Ensure compliance with Malaysian payroll legislation and statutory requirements while proactively managing operational and compliance risks.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll processes, service quality, and operational efficiency.
- Strong payroll expertise, leadership capabilities, stakeholder management skills, and the ability to work in a dynamic environment are essential.
Critical Competencies
Technical & Business Expertise
- Strong knowledge of payroll operations, Malaysian statutory requirements, and payroll best practices.
- Up-to-date with employment legislation, industry trends, and regulatory changes.
- Commercially astute with a good understanding of client service, financial performance, and business operations.
- Able to identify opportunities for process improvement, innovation, and operational excellence.
Leadership & People Management
- Proven experience leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
- Strong people management skills with the ability to motivate, empower, and drive team performance.
- Effective at delegating work, managing performance, and fostering a collaborative team culture.
Stakeholder & Client Management
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate, and manage expectations effectively.
- Committed to delivering exceptional client service and maintaining long-term client relationships.
Strategic & Professional Attributes
- Strong project management and problem-solving skills with the ability to lead change and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and sound business judgement.
- Able to balance operational priorities while contributing to business growth and strategic objectives.
Key Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or a related discipline.
- Minimum 10 years of payroll experience, preferably in a payroll outsourcing, shared services, or multinational environment.
- At least 5 years of leadership experience managing payroll operations and teams.
- Strong knowledge of Malaysian payroll legislation, statutory requirements, and employment laws.
- Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and client relationship management skills.
- Excellent command of written and spoken in English.
