Job Description
This role serves as a regional subjectmatter expert, providing technical guidance on payroll processes, statutory requirements, system functionality, and internal controls. In addition to overseeing complex payroll activities, the Senior Payroll Specialist plays a critical leadership role in the APAC payroll transformation agenda. This includes driving the payroll system migration project in close partnership with the Head of Payroll for APAC, Finance, HR, IT, and external payroll vendors. The role is accountable for reviewing endtoend processes, identifying optimisation opportunities, and implementing scalable and standardised practices that strengthen accuracy, efficiency, and governance across the region.
The Senior Payroll Specialist is a key partner to internal stakeholders, offering proactive insights, resolving escalated issues, and ensuring strong adherence to SOX and compliance standards. The role upholds a high level of confidentiality, demonstrates sound judgement, and contributes to building a robust, futureready payroll operating model for APAC.
Responsibilities
The key responsibilities include:
- Payroll Processing: Lead the end-to-end payroll processing for multiple countries, including payroll information compilation, salary calculations, statutory deductions, adjustments, uploading bank files, and arranging payments for monthly statutory reimbursements. Respond to employee inquiries related to payroll, taxation, and benefits in a timely and professional manner.
- Payroll Transformation: Co-lead payroll migration and transformation project in partnership with Head of Payroll for selected countries and/or entities in APAC, ensuring successful system implementation in countries and process standardization across APAC.
- Compliance: Ensure compliance with statutory requirements (e.g., local labour laws, tax regulations, CPF, social security, etc.), company policies and internal controls.
- Data Management: Maintain accurate employee records and update payroll systems with changes such as promotions, terminations, and transfers.
- Time and Attendance: Monitor employees time and leave records to ensure accurate payroll calculations.
- Issue Resolution: Address and resolve payroll-related queries or discrepancies raised by employees or stakeholders in a timely and professional manner.
- Reporting: Prepare payroll reports for management and finance teams, including reconciliations, payroll accruals, and audit documentation.
- Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to enhance payroll efficiency and implement best practices. Participate in payroll system upgrades, testing, and process improvement initiatives.
- Vendor Management: Collaborate closely with external payroll vendors to ensure service quality and compliance.
- Payroll Project SME: Act as a subject matter expert (SME) and work closely with Head of Payroll on payroll system migration and other payroll-related projects.
- Audit Support: Support internal and external audits by preparing payroll-related documentation and responding to audit queries.
- Statutory Filings: Ensure timely and accurate submission of payroll-related statutory filings and payments.
- Ensures confidentiality of sensitive data and protects payroll operations by keeping payroll information confidential.
- Develops and maintains strong relationships with the Human Resources and Finance, in order to be a trusted business partner.
Qualifications
- Strong organizational skills: strong people and relationship management skills working with diverse stakeholders, service providers internally and externally
- Solid understanding of payroll systems and regulations: a strong working knowledge of payroll, applicable laws and regulations in several countries within APAC region.
- Strong attention to detail: meticulous with great attention to detail; must be well organised and able to multi-tasking.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Posses good communication & sound presentation skills.
- Discreet with the ability to handle confidential and sensitive situations.
- Able to work within a team environment
- Tech Savy: Have a good understanding of payroll system behaviour.
- Experience of reviewing systems, processes, data and making recommendations for change to ensure continual service improvement.
Work Environment
- Prolonged sitting in front of a computer in an office environment
- Minimal travel in APAC region
Experience
- Japanese language proficiency at minimum JPLT N1 level
- Minimum 5 to 7 years Payroll management experience (multi countries in APAC)
- Experience in reviewing systems and processes, and payroll data, making recommendations for change to ensure payroll process continuous improvement.
- Hands on shared service payroll experience will be an added advantage.
- Experience with the following system is a plus: Oracle/SAPB1
Education
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, HR, accounting, finance, or related field required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Whilst a recognized Payroll qualification would be preferred, we would consider applications where equivalent knowledge and expertise has been obtained via experience.
