Monroe Consulting Group, an Executive Recruitment firm, is partnering with an organisation in the Healthcare sector to hire a Senior Payroll Specialist, SEA. This opportunity is based in Malaysia, with regional coverage across Southeast Asia.
Position Overview
The role is responsible for managing end-to-end payroll operations across multiple Southeast Asian countries. It plays a critical role in ensuring compliance, accuracy, and efficiency while supporting regional initiatives and enhancing employee experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage end-to-end payroll processing for Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
- Prepare, validate and submit monthly payroll inputs to external payroll vendors.
- Review payroll calculations, statutory deductions, taxes, and benefit-related transactions for accuracy.
- Ensure payroll is processed accurately and within established payroll calendars and statutory deadlines.
- Coordinate off-cycle payrolls, salary adjustments, bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime payments, and final settlements.
- Process payroll activities relating to new hires, transfers, promotions, salary changes and employee terminations.
- Respond to payroll-related enquiries from employees, HR Business Partners and Finance.
- Liaise with external payroll vendors to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing.
- Monitor payroll deliverables and escalate payroll issues where necessary.
- Participate in payroll system enhancements and process improvements.
- Ensure payroll complies with country-specific employment legislation, tax regulations and statutory requirements.
- Support annual tax filings, statutory reporting and year-end payroll activities.
- Prepare payroll documentation required for internal and external audits.
- Maintain payroll records in accordance with company policies and compliance standards.
- Maintain accurate payroll-related employee master data within HRIS and payroll systems.
- Validate employee movements impacting payroll, including hires, exits, promotions and salary revisions.
- Support payroll reporting and headcount reconciliation.
- Build strong working relationships with HR, Finance, payroll vendors and regional business stakeholders.
- Provide professional payroll support while maintaining confidentiality of employee information.
- Support Payroll Manager with regional payroll initiatives and special projects.
Key Requirements
- Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related discipline.
- Minimum 5 years of payroll experience, preferably in a multinational environment.
- Experience managing multi-country payroll across Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia highly preferred.
- Good knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation and statutory requirements across Southeast Asia.
- Technical / Functional Expertise
- Experience working with outsourced payroll vendors (e.g. BIPO, ADP, TMF, BoardRoom or similar).
- Experience using HRIS and payroll systems (SAP SuccessFactors experience is an advantage).
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and data reconciliation.
- Strong attention to detail with high levels of accuracy and confidentiality.
- Ability to manage multiple payroll cycles simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
- Soft Skills & Leadership Competencies
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Able to work independently while collaborating effectively within a regional team.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise effectively.
- Professional integrity and commitment to confidentiality.
