Global Payroll Lead - Strategy & Planning

About the role and team 

The Global Payroll Lead, Strategy & Planning is a key supervisor-level role operating with high autonomy to lead and independently drive assigned global payroll transformation initiatives, international payroll implementations, and strategic projects across EMEA, APAC, and LatAm. The primary focus of this position encompasses new entity launches, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) integrations, and complex payroll vendor transitions.

This role bridges strategic planning and hands-on execution: navigating ambiguity, resolving roadblocks, managing external payroll providers, coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, and driving process standardization and automation. A critical component of this role includes driving AI support and working closely with our internal AI Champion team in payroll to identify, design, and implement AI-driven operational enhancements and digital tools. The position ensures seamless implementation from initial requirements through go-live, stabilization, and formal operational handover to the International Payroll Delivery Center teams (located in India).

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership & Strategic Implementations
  - End-to-End Implementation: Independently own and lead cross-functional payroll implementations, new entity launches, M&A integrations, and vendor transitions end-to-end across EMEA, APAC, and LatAm.
  - Project Management & Governance: Develop, track, and manage comprehensive implementation plans, project milestones, task dependencies, critical paths, risk logs, and operational readiness activities. Deliver regular project status updates, plans, and executive presentations to leadership.
  - Ambiguity & Problem Solving: Operating with supervisor-level autonomy, proactively navigate ambiguous environments, synthesize incomplete requirements, identify dependencies, resolve roadblocks, and define sustainable solutions where established approaches do not yet exist.
   
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management
  - External Vendor Management: Manage external global payroll service providers (e.g., EY, ADP Celergo, ADP Streamline, Neeyamo, UKG, holding them accountable for deliverables, SLA adherence, timelines, and contract requirements.
  - Cross-Functional Coordination: Build strong strategic partnerships across internal functions including HR/People Operations, IT, Finance, Tax, Legal, Treasury, and Technology to ensure seamless execution.
   
• Stabilization & Operational Handover
  - Stabilization Processing: Process interim payroll (regular pay, overtime, bonuses, deductions) during stabilization periods for newly launched entities to ensure compliance and continuity.
  - Knowledge Transfer & Handover: Prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs), knowledge base documentation, and conduct formal knowledge transfer sessions for a smooth transition to the BAU International Payroll Delivery Center team (located in India).
  - Knowledge Base & Systems Maintenance: Keep internal and employee-facing payroll documentation and ServiceNow knowledge bases updated and maintained.
   
• Process Improvement, Automation & AI Collaboration
  - Process Optimization: Evaluate end-to-end payroll workflows to identify manual touchpoints, inefficiencies, and risks, implementing scalable automations and standardized solutions.
  - AI Integration & AI Champion Collaboration: Drive AI support initiatives within payroll, working closely with our dedicated AI Champion team in payroll to explore, test, and adopt emerging AI digital tools and automation frameworks to optimize controls, scalability, metrics reporting, and employee experience.
  - Data & Metrics Analysis: Collect, analyze, and present payroll data, maintaining KPIs and operational metrics to drive continuous process enhancement.

Basic Qualifications 

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance, or a related field.
• International Payroll Experience: 5+ years of hands-on experience in international payroll processing (experience with Germain, Italy, Netherlands, UK, and France is highly preferred).
• Project Management Experience: 3+ years of project management experience leading complex global or LATAM/EMEA/APAC payroll transformation projects.
• System & Vendor Proficiency: 
  - Experience with core HR/Payroll technology suites such as  Oracle.
  - Hands-on experience working with global payroll vendors including EY, ADP Celergo, ADP Streamline, Neeyamo, UKG, or similar.
  - Proficiency in ticketing/knowledge platforms (ServiceNow) and modern productivity tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite).
• Language Skills: Working knowledge of two or more languages. English fluency required; French or German language skills are preferred.
• Autonomy & Leadership: Proven ability to operate with supervisor-level autonomy, leading workstreams independently and driving complex initiatives forward with limited directional guidance.
• Stakeholder & Vendor Mastery: Exceptional capability in managing multi-country external vendors and aligning complex cross-functional stakeholder groups across multiple global time zones.
• Problem-Solving & Agility: Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset with a track record of thriving in dynamic, matrixed, and fast-paced environments.
• Domain Expertise: Strong international payroll knowledge with subject matter expertise across countries in EMEA, APAC, and LatAm supporting variable headcounts (up to/over 1,000 employees).
• Communication: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, capable of presenting data and strategic updates in line with executive standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Regional Focus (LatAm): Experience managing and leading implementations across Latin America (LatAm) alongside EMEA and APAC.
• AI & Digital Automation: Demonstrated curiosity, familiarity, or hands-on experience applying Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), or digital workflows within payroll, with a demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with internal AI champion teams.