Senior Payroll Specialist

Overview

The Senior Payroll Consultant, under the general direction of the Team Manager, Payroll Solutions, is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of payroll services for assigned clients. This includes payroll processing, statutory compliance, client management, payroll system administration, reporting, reconciliation, and operational governance.

The role ensures payroll activities are delivered accurately, timely, confidentially, and in compliance with applicable Malaysian labour laws, the Employment Act 1955, statutory requirements, client SLAs, and company policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

A. Role Of Senior Payroll Consultant, Payroll Solutions

To be responsible for the following functions:

1. Payroll Solutions Services

1.1. Manage end-to-end payroll processing for assigned clients in accordance with agreed SLAs, contractual requirements, and established procedures.

1.2. Ensure payroll is processed accurately, completely, confidentially, and within agreed timelines.

1.3. Accurately process payroll inputs, adjustments, deductions, allowances, claims, benefits, statutory contributions, and other payroll transactions.

1.4. Ensure payroll and system changes are properly authorized, documented, independently reviewed, and approved in accordance with the four-eye principle.

1.5. Verify all required authorization forms and supporting documents before implementing payroll changes.

1.6. Perform payroll checking, validation, and review prior to final approval and submission.

1.7. Attend to client ad-hoc payroll requests, enquiries, and issues within agreed service timelines.

1.8. Prepare accurate payroll, operational, statutory, and management reports as required.

1.9. Ensure statutory submissions, payments, banking activities, and reconciliations are completed accurately and on time.

2. Payroll Compliance & Statutory Management

2.1. Ensure payroll complies with applicable Malaysian labour legislation, including the Employment Act 1955 and other statutory requirements.

2.2. Maintain current knowledge of employment legislation, statutory contributions, tax requirements, and payroll regulations.

2.3. Provide payroll-related guidance and consultation to clients within the Company's scope of services.

2.4. Monitor legislative and statutory changes and ensure they are appropriately reflected in payroll processes and systems.

2.5. Coordinate with statutory authorities when clarification or resolution of payroll matters is required.

2.6. Ensure statutory calculations, deductions, contributions, submissions, and payments are accurate and timely.

2.7. Escalate compliance risks, statutory issues, and payroll discrepancies to the appropriate management level.

3. Client Management

3.1. Build and maintain professional and productive relationships with assigned clients.

3.2. Act as a key contact for client payroll enquiries, requests, issues, and operational matters.

3.3. Respond to client enquiries and complaints promptly and professionally in accordance with agreed service standards.

3.4. Understand client requirements, expectations, procedures, and business needs and ensure services are delivered accordingly.

3.5. Escalate matters beyond authority or expertise and work with relevant stakeholders to achieve resolution.

3.6. Proactively communicate payroll risks, delays, issues, and required client actions.

3.7. Monitor client SLA and Service Agreement expiry dates and support renewal activities.

3.8. Maintain awareness of client pricing and contracted services and provide relevant information to Finance for billing purposes.

3.9. Review client invoices for accuracy and ensure billing documents are issued within required timelines.

3.10. Identify opportunities to improve service quality, client experience, and retention.

4. Payroll System & Technology Management

4.1. Work with IT and software partners to ensure payroll and HRMS systems operate effectively.

4.2. Identify, investigate, escalate, and resolve system issues affecting payroll processing.

4.3. Ensure statutory, legislative, and payroll-related system updates are accurately implemented.

4.4. Validate system changes and enhancements before implementation to ensure payroll accuracy and system integrity.

4.5. Identify recurring system issues and potential sources of payroll errors and communicate them to relevant stakeholders.

4.6. Participate in system testing, enhancements, implementation, and process improvement initiatives.

4.7. Support technology solutions that improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, reporting, and service delivery.

5. Payroll Governance, Controls & Quality Assurance

5.1. Ensure payroll procedures, internal controls, approval requirements, and quality assurance processes are consistently followed.

5.2. Apply segregation of duties and appropriate review controls to minimize errors, unauthorized changes, fraud risks, and data integrity issues.

5.3. Ensure payroll inputs, amendments, approvals, calculations, and outputs are properly documented and traceable.

5.4. Conduct or coordinate payroll validation and review before final submission or release.

5.5. Investigate recurring payroll errors, identify root causes, and implement preventive actions.

5.6. Maintain documentation to support audits, statutory inspections, client reviews, and compliance activities.

5.7. Ensure payroll records are securely maintained and readily retrievable.

5.8. Monitor service delivery against SLAs and escalate material risks, control weaknesses, or potential service failures to the Team Manager.

6. Senior & Leadership Responsibilities

6.1. Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and a strong work ethic and lead by example.

6.2. Provide guidance, coaching, and operational support to junior payroll consultants and team members.

6.3. Support the Team Manager in monitoring team performance, workload, service delivery, and operational priorities.

6.4. Assist in identifying team development and training needs.

6.5. Support manpower, leave, knowledge transfer, and cross-training activities to ensure operational continuity.

6.6. Act as a point of reference for complex payroll, statutory, client, system, and operational matters.

6.7. Share payroll updates, regulatory changes, system developments, and best practices with the team.

6.8. Proactively identify operational risks and recommend appropriate solutions.

6.9. Support initiatives to improve team performance, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

7. Process Improvement & Service Excellence

7.1. Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, systems, documentation, reporting, and service delivery.

7.2. Recommend practical solutions to improve accuracy, efficiency, turnaround time, and client experience.

7.3. Support implementation and monitoring of process improvement initiatives.

7.4. Identify manual or repetitive processes suitable for automation, standardization, or system enhancement.

7.5. Monitor recurring issues and recommend corrective and preventive actions.

7.6. Support the development and maintenance of standardized procedures, work instructions, checklists, and knowledge resources.

8. Reporting & Documentation

8.1. Prepare accurate payroll, operational, statutory, management, and client reports within agreed timelines.

8.2. Maintain complete records of payroll activities, approvals, reconciliations, client instructions, system changes, and statutory submissions.

8.3. Ensure payroll documentation is securely maintained in accordance with Company procedures and data protection requirements.

8.4. Keep client payroll procedures and documentation updated to support business continuity and handover.

8.5. Provide operational and performance information to the Team Manager and Management as required.

8.6. Maintain strict confidentiality and security of all payroll information and documentation.

B. Other tasks

1. Ensure that the Company's mission, vision, client charter, values, policies, and service standards are consistently observed and promoted.

2. Support the achievement of the Payroll Solutions team's strategic objectives, operational targets, service standards, and performance indicators.

3. Participate in team meetings, operational reviews, client meetings, training sessions, and other relevant business activities.

4. Support internal and external audits, client reviews, statutory inspections, and compliance assessments when required.

5. Participate in training, knowledge-sharing, and professional development activities to continuously enhance payroll knowledge and technical competency.

6.  Support business continuity and contingency planning to ensure uninterrupted payroll service delivery.

7. Undertake projects and initiatives assigned by the Team Manager or Management to improve team performance, operational efficiency, and client service.

8. Perform any other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Company, Management, or direct Manager from time to time.

Essential Requirements

1. Bachelor's Degree, Diploma, Professional Qualification, or equivalent qualification in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, Payroll, or a related discipline.

2. Minimum of 5 years of relevant payroll experience, preferably within a payroll outsourcing, shared services, HR services, professional services, or multinational environment.

3. Mandatory hands-on payroll experience across the Asia-Pacific (ACPAC) region, with exposure to multiple countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, and Malaysia.

4. Strong understanding and practical experience in managing multi-country payroll requirements, statutory compliance, payroll practices, and operational differences across ACPAC markets.

5. Strong hands-on experience in end-to-end payroll processing and payroll administration.

6. Strong understanding of the Employment Act 1955 and relevant Malaysian statutory requirements affecting payroll administration.

7. Hands-on experience with Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS), payroll systems, ERP systems, and related payroll technology.