EMEA Payroll Specialist - 6 Month Fixed Term Contract

About the opportunity
As an EMEA Payroll Specialist reporting into the International Payroll Lead, you will be responsible for managing payroll operations for multiple countries within the EMEA region. Your primary focus will be on ensuring accurate and compliant payroll processing, coordinating with regional HR teams, and supporting payroll-related activities. This role requires a strong understanding of EMEA payroll legislation, attention to detail, and the ability to handle complex payroll scenarios across multiple countries. You will play a key role in maintaining payroll accuracy and providing exceptional service to our employees in the EMEA region.
Responsibilities:
Support end-to-end payroll processing (via our global vendor Activpayroll) for assigned EMEA countries (incl. UK, Ireland, France, Denmark, Spain & the Netherlands), ensuring accuracy and timeliness of payments.
Ensure compliance with country-specific payroll regulations, tax laws, and social security requirements for each jurisdiction.
Collaborate with regional HR teams to collect and validate payroll inputs, including salaries, benefits, allowances, and deductions.
Review and validate payroll calculations, including statutory deductions, bonuses, and overtime, for each country.
Coordinate payroll data integration between our global HR (UKG) and Payroll (Activpayroll) systems, ensuring data accuracy and consistency.
Reconcile and validate payroll outputs, including payslips, tax filings, and social security contributions and auditing gross to net calculations.
Handle payroll-related enquiries and resolve issues from employees across different countries.
Stay updated with changes in payroll legislation and compliance requirements for each country within the EMEA region.
Collaborate with HR, Finance, and Tax teams to ensure accurate employee data management and seamless payroll integration.
Provide guidance and support to HR and Finance teams regarding payroll processes, compliance, and reporting.
Coordinate year-end payroll processes, including the production of annual tax statements and compliance reports for each country.
Conduct periodic payroll audits to ensure data accuracy, identify discrepancies, and resolve any payroll-related issues.
Liaise with external auditors and tax authorities for payroll-related audits, compliance checks, and reporting requirements.
This is a 6-month Fixed Term Contract, based remotely in the UK.
What would make me a good candidate?
We are looking for curious and empathetic people. We also love to hear from people who are motivated by meaningful work, resonate with our core values, have a positive outlook, are comfortable with ambiguity and thrive working in an ever-evolving and complex environment. We are inspired by meeting big-picture thinkers and doers, people who can be both tactical and strategic, aim high and put people first in everything they do.
Proven experience as an EMEA Payroll Specialist or similar role, with a focus on processing payroll across multiple countries within the region.
In-depth knowledge of EMEA payroll legislation, tax regulations, and compliance requirements for various countries.
Strong understanding of statutory deductions, tax rates, social security requirements, and benefits regulations in EMEA countries.
Certification or professional qualification in payroll (ie CIPP) or related field is advantageous.
Proficient in using MS Office applications, particularly Excel (VLOOKUPs & pivot tables) for data analysis and reporting.
Experience working with payroll providers and managing relationships with external vendors.
Proficiency in using payroll software or systems for end-to-end payroll processing.
Strong attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills to handle complex payroll calculations and reconciliations across different countries.
Excellent organizational and time management skills to handle multiple payrolls and deadlines.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively address employee enquiries and concerns related to payroll.
Understanding of data protection regulations and confidentiality requirements in handling employee information.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
Continuous learning mindset to stay updated with changes in EMEA payroll regulations and best practices.
Ability to adapt to changing payroll requirements across different countries within the EMEA region.
At Xplor, we believe that the best innovation and ideas happen at the intersections of our differences - people of diverse cultures, generations, disciplines, and lived experiences. So even if you think you do not tick all the boxes, we still encourage you to apply

Employment type
Contract

Work arrangement
Yes