Payroll Specialist 1 year FTC

Payroll Specialist 1 year FTC London/LUX Full-time Hybrid INTRO / JOB SUMMARY We’re seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Specialist to support end-to-end payroll delivery across EMEA, ensuring accurate, compliant, and on-time processing for a diverse employee population. In this role, you will manage multi-country payroll cycles, oversee key controls and reconciliations, and partner closely with in-country providers (ICPs) and internal stakeholders. You’ll also support payroll accounting activities and help maintain strong operational documentation and audit readiness. Experience with ADP Celergo and HRIS/payroll integrations (e.g., Oracle HCM) is highly valued. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Process and validate end-to-end monthly and/or fortnightly multi-country payroll cycles across EMEA, including off-cycle payments and retroactive adjustments. Perform gross-to-net validations, pre- and post-payroll checks, variance analysis, and payroll reconciliations to ensure accuracy and completeness. Ensure statutory compliance across assigned countries (tax, social security, pensions, benefits-in-kind) and coordinate year-end payroll activities and reporting. Partner with ADP Celergo and/or in-country providers to manage SLAs, resolve escalations, and drive root-cause fixes and continuous improvement. Validate HRIS/payroll interfaces and data flows (e.g., Oracle HCM) covering hires, terminations, transfers, and compensation changes. Manage employee and stakeholder payroll queries through a case management/helpdesk tool, meeting service levels and improving employee experience. Support payroll accounting deliverables including GL mapping, journal support, payroll account reconciliations, accrual inputs, and month-end close activities. Coordinate payroll funding and payment processes, including bank/payment files and statutory remittances, in partnership with Finance/Treasury. Maintain and improve SOPs, process maps, and control checklists to strengthen governance, audit readiness, and operational resilience. Contribute to projects such as country transitions, M&A integrations, system enhancements, and new market entries, tracking KPIs for timeliness and quality. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 6–8 years of progressive payroll experience with multi-country payroll exposure in EMEA. Working knowledge of statutory payroll compliance requirements (tax, social security, pensions, reporting deadlines) across multiple jurisdictions. Experience partnering with payroll vendors/ICPs to deliver payroll services, manage SLAs, and resolve processing issues. Hands-on experience with payroll systems and integrations, including ADP Celergo and/or Oracle HCM interface validation and data reconciliation. Strong payroll accounting fundamentals (reconciliations, GL mapping, journals support, payroll reporting). Proficiency in Excel for reconciliations and analysis (e.g., pivots, lookups) with high attention to detail and data accuracy. Experience using a case management/helpdesk tool (e.g., ServiceNow or similar) to manage payroll queries and SLAs. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills across time zones, with discretion in handling sensitive data. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience with additional ADP platforms (e.g., ADP Vantage, ADP Streamline). Exposure to mobility, shadow payroll, and/or expat payroll scenarios. Country payroll experience in one or more of the following (as business needs require): UAE, Belgium, Switzerland, India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan. Experience supporting process improvement initiatives (Lean/Six Sigma or similar). Experience with additional HRIS environments (e.g., Workday) in a payroll-integrated setup.