Purpose of Role:

Whilst reporting to the Regional Payroll and HR Operations Manager this role within GHR Shared Services is required to provide a hands on focus primarily responsible for payroll and HR administration elementsin EMEA including accountability of all associated compliance and statutory reporting activities.

This role has a high level of focus on Payroll Governance Compliance Data Protection  Employment Tax and HR and HR Administration in a complex operating model and compensation structure.

Additional accountability includes coordinating with GHR Centres of Expertise and other corporate groups to operationalize (end-to-end) global regional and local policies programs and regulatory requirements into the daily operations of GHR Shared Services as well as global regional and local outsourced payroll and benefits vendors as required.

Major Responsibilities:

This position requires an experienced EMEA payroll professional with strong technical and business process skills and the ability to interact at all levels of the organization.  A requirement to demonstrate a flexible approach and ability to work under strict deadlines is essential.   

Continually execute the GHR Shared Services Strategy to ensure alignment to corporate and GHR goals

• Ensure maintenance of technical knowledge and act in an advisory and strategic role when looking at legislative changes and trends to assess and impact future strategy
• Continue the evolution of the GHR operating model with an emphasis on service delivery through a globally consistent scalable support model and enhanced self-sufficiency
• Researches best practices evaluating “as is” processes and redesigning them to achieve better efficiency effectiveness and control compliance
• Operationalise end-to-end local regulatory requirements and GHR policies and programs as well as those of other corporate groups into the daily operations of GHRSS; global regional and local outsourced administrative vendors.

 Provide effective Governance and Management of processes to identify and manage risk under a focus of risk excellence

• Deliver payroll and activities across EMEA region to include coordinating  related activities with Finance Legal etc. as needed and providing Tier 3 customer support for such HR services.
• Responsibility for payroll oversight and managementto ensure effective controls are utilized and payments are delivered to correct third parties within the scheme deadlines.
• Responsibility for the outsources payroll vendor day-to-day activities management and relationship taxation statutory and non statutory reporting
• Act as key contact for all payroll and employment tax audit activitiessuch as liaison with internal and external auditors to assist with understanding the key processes providing evidence of key controls
• Execute related HR administration activity to support other CoE’s whilst maintaining strong working relationships
• Ensure correct statutoryand payroll treatment of inbound and outbound assignees and short term business visitorsvia liaison with Global Mobility & external tax consultant
• Responsibility of all payroll and employment tax audit activities including co-operating with payroll vendor providing the guidance and advisory organizing the evidences maintaining a working relationship with local revenue and governmental agencies
• Support statutory reporting around  employment taxation including PIT statements and other relevant activities
• Ensure a focus on maintaining data privacy in line with global and local requirements across GHR Shared Services
• Pro-actively deliver against a robust and effective control framework across our international payroll operation including complex areas such as;
  • Global mobility and assignees
  • Executive compensation schemes
  • Complex international benefit programmes
  • Employment taxation and reporting
• Payroll Operational review and provide approval where required including payroll output review and approval and authorisation of payments when required
• Ensure a dual check of all payroll output prior to submission for approval and sign off
• Achieve an improved understanding of client requirements and opinions locally to enable informed suggestions and decisions 
• Act as a local escalation point for all payroll issues
• Ensure adoption of compliance initiatives locally
• Ensure support of the full SOX & Audit requirements
• Ensure the vendor management framework is followed whilst supporting all due diligence and relationship management
• Support the continued development of a comprehensive vendor management program with an emphasis on risk mitigation policies and practices (RAMP/ISRMP)
• Mitigate risk by ensuring production of well documented end to end operating processes inclusive of vendor touch points
• Ensure documented BCP plans
• Demonstrate the ‘Risk Excellence’ culture in your behaviour
• Ensure effective participation in all global/regional calls and one2ones
• Ensure that you make reasonable decisions by exercising reasonable care when considering information available to you. This includes taking proactive action to ensure that the information you have is suitable and adequate.
• Proactively manage the workload of self and the team members to meet the required deadlines. Self-driven attitude in managing own and other’s workload to avoid delays
• Provide the management to the staff to ensure the continuous development of each individual and the entire team. Ensure the staff are supported motivated and developed. Promote the coaching style and collaborative approach while interacting with others
• Engage with key stakeholders subject matter experts and operational areas to quantify track and measure potential business benefits for any defined HR processes
• Responsible for continuous improvement across the team. Promote the continuous improvement culture and deliver large scale changes
• Supports junior colleagues – providing guidance and coaching especially in the area of Payroll
• Perform other duties as requested by regional and global HR SS leads when requested
• Coordinates effective and timely flow of critical information to all relevant parties and follows up on administrative details within or across divisions that includes handling confidential and sensitive information that pertains to employee personal sensitive data

 Ensure effective stakeholder and project management programmes are supported  around all GHR Shared Service activity

• Effectively communicate and collaboration with all leadership levels as a key partner and local lead
• Develop and build strong partnerships across key areas such as GHR Finance Corporate Tax Audit and Compliance Global Mobility payroll vendor

 Provide effective operatingCost management

• Control and manager variable resource costs such as overtime
• Track vendor costs and invoices to ensure expense is managed to budget
   

Level of Education/ Specific Qualifications:

• University degree - HR/finance/accounting preferred

Skills and Experience -

• 5 or more years’ experience in a EMEA payroll operations position with a strong understanding of best practice around controls regulations tax compliance and working with outsourced providers
• Fluency in written and oral English. (very good level)
• Additional language(s) (German/Italian/Dutch/French) would be a strong asset
• Very Good Excel skills
• Working knowledge of EMEA payroll practice/law regulations  
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Very good organizational and communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability  to work in a dynamic business environment ability to meet deadlines
• High attention to detail
• Ability to set priorities and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to deliver high quality work and to work under pressure with attention to detail
• Ability to interact with all levels of employees and management and handle confidential information in a professional manner
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Flexible “can do” attitude
• Team player with a strong customer focus
• Working knowledge of HRIS and payroll systems required with PeopleSoft experience a plus
• Employment tax knowledge

Required Competencies -

• Ability to focus on the customer
• Embraces culture of risk excellence
• Strong interpersonal influencing and customer service skills
• Uses independent action judgment and decision-making
• Demonstrates flexibility to meet changing business needs and priorities
• Displays a positive attitude toward work and the work environment.
• Cooperates and works well with others