About the role

This role is primarily responsible for Cognism payroll which includes working with our external payroll and benefit providers. You will lead the payroll for 4-6 countries, including the UK.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader, a self-starter, a problem solver, and is comfortable challenging the status quo to improve and scale the function. This individual should be experienced in overseeing the end-to-end payroll process, driving process optimization/automation, managing external audits. You should also have experience partnering with multiple stakeholders and business partners to drive cross-functional initiatives while ensuring strong governance and compliance.

Key Accountabilities

Payroll

• Responsible for monthly payroll process including collecting and auditing all inputs
• Drive, review, and audit work performed by payroll provider, including auditing payroll data, ensuring accurate wages, tax withholdings, deductions, and garnishments
• Manage third-party vendors and the preparation, analysis, and maintenance of all payroll-related reports, including governmental and regulatory filings, and payroll and benefit reconciliations
• Reconciliation of payroll, benefits and data
• Answer payroll queries from employees
• Adhere to payroll policies and procedures and comply with relevant law
• Identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies in payroll records
• HRBP support e.g., reporting, severance calculations, projects, etc.
• Prepare and provide relevant data for internal and external audits
• Support special projects, including process documentation and improvements, system updates, integrations, upgrades, or implementations.
• Maintain strong, collaborative relationships with all key internal stakeholders including HR, Finance and IT, ensuring clear roles and responsibilities between the teams

Benefits Support

• Monthly pension scheme uploads and processing
• Managing the employee benefits schemes
• Supporting the annual pay review and bonus review process and reports to support the budget process and annual reward ranges
• Manage vendor relationships with third parties providing services across the HR function e.g. outsource payroll company and benefit providers

Experience Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance / Accounting, or a related discipline CIPP (Charted Institute of Payroll Professionals) qualification preferred
• The ideal candidate has 10+ years of experience in payroll operations
• Experience with Rippling, BlueMarble/Paylocity (payroll provider) a plus
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, highly organised with an exceptional attention to detail
• Expert knowledge of international payroll regulations, including payroll tax, reporting, and required filings
• Strong organizational, change management, and execution skills, along with the ability to prioritize and drive multiple tasks simultaneously
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
• Eagerness to learn and willingness to take on new challenges
• Experience with process improvement and redesign
• Attention to detail and quality of work