Job Overview

The Senior Manager, APAC Payroll Operations is responsible for leading payroll operations across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery while supporting the organization’s global payroll strategy. This role provides leadership to regional payroll teams, drives operational excellence, oversees payroll implementations and transitions, and partners closely with HR, Finance, IT, and external payroll providers. The position reports directly to the Global Director, Payroll Operations.

Position will be located in India.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Payroll & T&A Operations:

• Lead end-to-end payroll operations across assigned APAC countries, ensuring payrolls are processed accurately, on time, and in compliance with local legislation.
• Manage payroll and Time & Attendance operations, ensuring data integrity and identifying opportunities to automate manual processes.
• Standardize and continuously improve payroll processes while balancing global consistency with local country requirements.
• Ensure compliance with country-specific tax regulations, statutory reporting, social insurance, and payroll-related legislation.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations, audits, and year-end activities while ensuring all payroll records are maintained in accordance with company policies.
• Manage relationships with external payroll providers to ensure service quality, compliance, and performance expectations are met.

Payroll Implementations & Projects:

• Lead payroll implementations, system upgrades, and country transitions as part of global payroll transformation initiatives.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and new country implementations across the APAC region.
• Participate in continuous process improvement initiatives that enhance payroll efficiency and employee experience

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes throughout the APAC region and ensure payroll operations remain fully compliant.
• Provide guidance and training to payroll teams regarding legislative changes and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary regional lead for Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) payroll controls and internal compliance activities.
• Identify operational risks, escalate issues appropriately, and implement sustainable corrective actions.

Stakeholder Management & Collaboration:

• Develop strong partnerships with regional HR, Finance, Tax, Legal, IT, and external payroll vendors.
• Support the execution of the global payroll operating model while ensuring regional requirements are addressed.
• Monitor payroll KPIs, SLAs, and operational metrics, providing regular reporting and recommendations to leadership.
• Collaborate with global payroll leadership to drive consistency, governance, and best practices across all regions.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead, coach, and develop the APAC Payroll Operations team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, development planning, and succession planning.
• Promote employee engagement and professional development while maintaining high performance standards.
• Drive operational excellence through process optimization, technology adoption, and knowledge sharing.

Other Responsibilities:

• Monitor vendor performance, contractual obligations, and associated costs.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency while maintaining service quality and compliance.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related discipline required. MBA, CPA, CPP, or equivalent professional certification preferred.

Experience:  

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive payroll leadership experience, including management of multi-country payroll operations within the APAC region.
• Demonstrated experience leading payroll implementations, system migrations, or global payroll transformation initiatives.
• Experience managing outsourced payroll providers and vendor relationships.
• Strong knowledge of APAC payroll legislation, tax regulations, and statutory compliance requirements.
• Previous people leadership experience managing geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience working within a multinational, matrixed organization preferred.

Preferred Experience:

• Managing payroll operations across multiple APAC countries such as Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
• Experience implementing or supporting global payroll systems such as ADP GlobalView, ADP Celergo, SAP Payroll, or similar enterprise payroll solutions.
• Experience leading payroll transitions, acquisitions, divestitures, and payroll vendor consolidations.
• Experience driving payroll process standardization, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives within a global organization.

Skills:

• Fluent written and spoken English is required.
• Additional APAC language skills are considered an asset.
• Strong project management and implementation experience.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Experience with global payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and Time & Attendance solutions.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting skills preferred.