Job Description:

Employee Lifecycle Team Lead

Huntsman is seeking an Employee Lifecycle Team Lead supporting the Human Resources Division located in San Jose, Costa Rica. This position will report to the Head of HRSSC Americas.

Job Scope 

The Employee Lifecycle Team Lead is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of a team of Employee Lifecycle and Pre-Payroll Analysts within the HR Shared Services organization. This role ensures the accurate and timely execution of employee lifecycle transactions and pre-payroll activities that directly impact payroll outcomes.

This position combines team leadership (50%) with hands-on operational responsibilities (50%), including ownership of time tracking for the United States and Canada and absence management across the Americas region.

The role plays a critical part in ensuring employees are paid accurately by maintaining high-quality data integrity in systems such as Workday and ensuring compliance with internal policies and payroll requirements.

This role directly influences payroll accuracy and employee experience, as pre-payroll data integrity is critical to ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time. High-quality execution in this function supports overall compliance and operational excellence in HR Shared Services.

Key Responsibilities

1. Team Leadership & Service Delivery

• Supervise and support a team of Employee Lifecycle and Pre-Payroll analysts in a shared services environment.
• Oversee service delivery to ensure SLAs related to pre-payroll and employee lifecycle transactions are met.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and performance management to drive team effectiveness and engagement.
• Act as escalation point for complex or high-impact issues related to employee data, payroll inputs, and system discrepancies.

2. Employee Lifecycle & Pre-Payroll Oversight

• Ensure accurate processing of employee lifecycle events in Workday and related systems, including:
• New hires, terminations, and employee transfers
• Compensation changes and organizational updates
• Employee data maintenance and corrections
• Validate that all pre-payroll inputs are completed accurately and on time to support payroll processing cycles.
• Collaborate closely with Payroll, HRBP, HRIS, and Benefits teams to ensure seamless data flow and issue resolution.

3. Hands-On Operations (50%)

• Manage time tracking processes for US and Canada payroll, ensuring accuracy and compliance with multi-state requirements.
• Oversee absence management across the Americas region, including leaves of absence, time off balances, and related adjustments.
• Support resolution of employee and stakeholder inquiries related to time, attendance, and absence programs.

4. Quality Assurance & Auditing

• Perform regular audits on employee lifecycle and pre-payroll transactions to ensure:
• Data accuracy and system integrity
• Compliance with internal controls and payroll requirements
• Identify trends, risks, and process improvement opportunities based on audit findings.
• Support internal and external audits by ensuring documentation and controls are properly maintained.

5. Process Improvement & Controls

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize pre-payroll processes and enhance efficiency.
• Ensure proper documentation of processes, controls, and standard operating procedures.
• Maintain strong collaboration with payroll vendors (e.g., ADP) and internal stakeholders to resolve discrepancies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or related field
• OR minimum of 4+ years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience managing time and absence in a US multi-state environment

Experience with HR and payroll systems such as:

• Workday
• ADP Workforce Now / ADP Vantage
• SAP SuccessFactors or similar platforms
• Prior experience supervising a small team in a shared services or service delivery environment
• Advanced English proficiency (C1 level or higher)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting Americas region payroll and HR operations
• Knowledge of payroll processes and compliance requirements across multiple countries
• Exposure to audit processes and SOX/internal controls

Skills and knowledge 

• Attention to Detail and Accuracy
• Customer Focus and Service Orientation
• Accountability and Results Orientation
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Management
• Problem Solving and Analytical Thinking
• Leadership and Coaching
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent time management and organizational abilities
• Self-driven, results-oriented, and capable of working with limited supervision

Additional Locations: