Job Title: Manager, Payroll Operations – International Transformation & Stabilization

Position Overview

The Manager, Payroll Operations – International Transformation & Stabilization plays a critical role in ensuring operational continuity, process optimization, and stakeholder confidence following large-scale payroll transformations across 21 international countries.

This role focuses on stabilizing international payroll operations post-transformation, driving change adoption, identifying gaps, mitigating risk, and embedding sustainable, scalable processes to ensure accuracy, compliance, and efficiency across multiple regulatory environments. In addition, this role will lead and support special projects and continuous process improvement initiatives to enhance overall payroll service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

International Post-Transformation Stabilization (21 Countries)

• Lead payroll operational stabilization efforts across 21 international countries following major system implementations, vendor transitions, or process redesigns.
• Partner with in-country stakeholders and vendors to ensure payroll accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with local statutory requirements.
• Identify root causes of payroll discrepancies and implement corrective and preventive actions across all countries.
• Manage hypercare support and oversee transition to steady-state operations across all impacted countries.
• Develop and track international stabilization KPIs and dashboards, ensuring regional transparency and accountability.

International Change Management & Adoption

• Drive adoption of new payroll systems and processes across diverse regulatory and cultural environments.
• Develop and execute an international change management strategy, including communication, stakeholder engagement, and training plans.
• Collaborate with regional HR, Finance, IT, and third-party payroll providers to ensure consistent execution.
• Identify country-specific challenges and tailor change mitigation strategies accordingly.

Special Projects & Strategic Initiatives

• Lead and support international payroll-related special projects, including acquisitions, divestitures, new country expansions, regulatory updates, and system enhancements.
• Partner cross-functionally to evaluate operational impacts and implement scalable solutions.
• Conduct impact assessments and develop implementation roadmaps for payroll-related initiatives.
• Provide subject matter expertise for enterprise projects impacting payroll operations.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce payroll errors, minimize manual intervention, and increase automation.
• Review and re-engineer payroll processes to improve efficiency, controls, and service quality.
• Analyze country-level metrics and trends to proactively mitigate risks and identify improvement opportunities.
• Standardize and document best practices while accommodating local statutory requirements.
• Establish scalable, repeatable operating models across international markets.

Process Governance & Controls

• Strengthen payroll governance frameworks across 21 countries, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards and local compliance requirements.
• Ensure adherence to SOX, audit, and internal control requirements where applicable.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews and embed lessons learned into ongoing operations.
• Maintain robust documentation of payroll processes and controls.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as primary liaison between International Payroll Operations, regional HR/Finance, IT, and third-party payroll providers.
• Provide executive-level updates on stabilization progress, risks, remediation plans, and improvement initiatives.
• Build strong partnerships with international business leaders to ensure service excellence and trust.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Finance, Business, or related field.
• 2-3 years of payroll experience, including multi-country or international payroll exposure.
• 3-4 years of experience working in with project/process/change management tole
• Experience supporting payroll system implementations or large-scale international transformations.
• Demonstrated experience leading process improvement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of international payroll compliance, controls, and risk management.
• Experience working with regional payroll vendors and multiple regulatory environments.
• Familiarity with major payroll systems (e.g., Workday, ADP, SAP, Oracle, UKG, etc.).
• Six Sigma certification or demonstrated Lean/Six Sigma experience preferred.

Key Competencies

• International payroll expertise
• Change leadership and project management
• Strong process improvement mindset (Lean/Six Sigma methodology)
• Governance and control orientation
• Analytical and risk-based decision-making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Executive communication and influence
• Ability to balance standardization with local compliance

Success Measures

• Stabilized payroll operations across all 21 countries
• Reduction in payroll defects, manual interventions, and compliance risks
• Successful transition from hypercare to steady-state operations
• Delivery of strategic payroll projects on time and within scope
• Documented and measurable process improvements
• Improved regional stakeholder satisfaction

Bracknell

Bracknell Forest

United Kingdom