EMEA Payroll Specialist - sole charge

EMEA Payroll Specialist
6-Months temporary role initially
Location: Reading (fully accessible by all transport routes and free onsite parking)

Hybrid working - 2-3 days in the office, and the rest WFH

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced EMEA Payroll Specialist to join our expanding client - initially on a six-month contract. Reporting to the European Payroll Manager, you will be responsible for delivering accurate, compliant, and timely payroll across multiple European countries while supporting a key payroll transformation project within the Group.

Working closely with Finance, HR, and the external payroll providers, as well as key stakeholders across the region, you'll play an integral role in ensuring payroll excellence, strengthening controls, and driving process improvements.

• Managing the monthly payroll process across many EMEA countries, working alongside external payroll providers to ensure payroll is delivered accurately and on schedule.
• Ensure compliance with local payroll legislation, tax regulations, social security requirements, and statutory reporting across your assigned countries.
• Oversee hosted payrolls for many European regions
• Coordinate payroll funding and approval processes through the internal systems, ensuring all payment deadlines are met.
• Maintain accurate payroll records, including processing employee lifecycle changes such as new starters, leavers, salary amendments, and contractual changes.
• Hold responsibility for acting as the main point of contact for payroll-related queries from HR, Finance, employees, and external payroll providers.
• Support the ongoing European payroll transformation programme, helping to standardise and improve payroll processes across the business.
• Ensure payroll processes remain fully SOX compliant, maintaining appropriate controls and documentation.
• Partner with Finance on payroll accounting activities, including payroll journals, balance sheet reconciliations, and resolving payroll-related accounting queries.

We're looking for an experienced European payroll professional who enjoys working in a fast-paced, international environment and is confident managing complex, multi-country payrolls.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience processing payroll across multiple European countries within an international organisation.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers across different jurisdictions.
• A good understanding of payroll compliance, audit requirements, and SOX controls.
• Strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Knowledge of payroll accounting, including journals and balance sheet reconciliations (desirable but not essential).
• A payroll qualification or accounting background would be advantageous.
• A professional approach with the ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Able to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• A proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and process enhancement.
• Available at short notice to start - and happy to commit to an initial 6 month role

This is an excellent opportunity to join a globally recognised organisation during an exciting period of transformation and make a real impact on payroll operations across Europe.

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