Payroll Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Payroll Specialist is a senior payroll professional responsible for providing subject matter expertise, governance oversight, payroll quality assurance, and operational support across designated APAC payroll countries. The role serves as the primary escalation point for payroll matters and acts as the final checker of payroll results to ensure accuracy, compliance, and adherence to established controls.

Working with a high degree of independence, the Payroll Specialist leads root cause analysis activities, drives continuous improvement initiatives, maintains payroll documentation, and supports capability building across the payroll team. The position combines expert-level technical payroll knowledge with hands-on operational involvement to ensure payroll services are delivered accurately, compliantly, and efficiently.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Payroll Operational Support and Subject Matter Expertise

• Participate in day-to-day payroll operations and critical payroll activities as required.
• Provide operational support during peak payroll periods, system changes, and business-critical events.
• Maintain awareness of country-specific legislative and regulatory changes and assess operational impacts.
• Serve as the recognized payroll subject matter expert (SME) for assigned countries and payroll processes.
• Provide guidance on payroll legislation, payroll controls, systems, policies, and operational practices.
• Support payroll projects, transitions, audits, and business initiatives requiring specialist payroll expertise.

B. Payroll Review, Validation and Quality Assurance

• Perform check and validation of payroll results prior to payroll sign-off.
• Ensure payroll calculations, statutory deductions and taxation, and off-cycle payments are processed accurately.
• Maintain strong payroll controls and ensure compliance with internal governance requirements and country-specific statutory obligations.

C. Payroll Escalation Management and Root Cause Analysis

• Conduct thorough root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action planning for payroll errors, control failures, and service issues.
• Develop preventive measures and sustainable solutions to reduce recurrence of payroll issues.
• Track and monitor payroll exceptions and escalation trends to improve payroll performance and control effectiveness.

D. Process Governance and Documentation

• Own and maintain payroll process documentation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), process maps, control documentation, and governance artefacts.
• Ensure payroll documentation remains accurate, current, and audit-ready.

E. Training and Capability Building

• Develop and deliver payroll process training and knowledge transfer activities.
• Act as a process trainer for payroll team members.
• Support onboarding and training of new payroll team members.

F. Continuous Improvement and Process Excellence

• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, efficiency, automation, and employee experience.
• Initiate and lead continuous improvement activities using data, operational insights, and best practices.
• Challenge existing processes and introduce innovative solutions while leveraging established frameworks and controls.
• Support payroll transformation, harmonization, and operational excellence initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 6+ years of payroll experience, preferably within a regional, shared services, or multinational environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in one or more APAC payroll jurisdictions.
• Has experience managing payroll escalations, payroll controls, and issue resolution.
• Proven experience conducting root cause analysis and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Experience developing process documentation, training materials, and operational procedures.
• Experience reviewing and validating end-to-end payroll outputs.
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, statutory reporting, taxation, and payroll controls.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret payroll data and identify risks, anomalies, and trends.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong process improvement and continuous improvement mindset.
• High attention to detail and commitment to payroll accuracy.
• Work independently with minimal supervision and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Demonstrate deep payroll expertise and apply knowledge to simple and complex situations.

OTHERS:

• Willingness to work in a hybrid work environment (At least 3 days in the office)
• Reporting to: Payroll Asst. Manager / Manager

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OUR BUSINESS

Allegis Group is the global leader in talent solutions, focused on working harder and caring more than any other provider. We go further to understand the needs of our people – our clients, our candidates, and our employees – and to consistently deliver on our promise of an unsurpassed quality experience. That is the Allegis Group difference, and it is consistent across every Allegis Group brand.

With more than US$13.6 billion in annual revenues and over 500 locations across the globe, our network provides businesses with a comprehensive suite of talent solutions — without sacrificing the niche expertise required to ensure a successful partnership. Our specialized group of companies includes: Actalent, Aerotek, Allegis Global Solutions, Aston Carter, Career Circle, Getting Hired, Major Lindsey & Africa, MarketSource, QuantumWork Advisory, and TEKsystems.

WORKING WITH US

True to our commitment, your opportunity starts here!  Our purpose is to create significant opportunity for people to achieve their goals through career success and fulfillment. The foundation of our collective success is rooted in our unwavering commitment to four shared core values – character, competitive spirit, relationships and serving others.

The Manila Business Services (MBS) team is part of Allegis Group Corporate Services, providing support to various operating companies across the Asia Pacific region. The team operates in a hybrid remote and in-office setup, follows Philippine holidays, and typically works on a day shift schedule, with occasional requirements to work other shifts based on business needs and projects.

Join us and be part of our aspiration to become the Regional Business Services Centre and Employer of Choice by delivering world class client, stakeholder, and employee experience, insights, and results.