Payroll Specialist

Job title: Payroll Specialist Department: Corporate Operations Team: Human Resources Location: Warsaw All locations: Warsaw, Frankfurt, Budapest, Bucharest, London Work type: Full-time, Permanent Workplace type: remote The Senior Payroll Specialist (SPS) will be responsible for accurate processing of payroll, benefits reconciliation and government remittances globally and will ensure employee satisfaction by responding to questions or concerns fully, and in a timely manner. The SPS will lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of payroll strategy, practices, processes and technology solutions for the organization in a global, shared-services context. The SPS will interface with a variety of stakeholders including the HR team, Finance team, and vendors and will contribute to and/or lead other special projects/duties as assigned. In addition, the SPS will provide team mentorship and guidance to the Payroll team.  Payroll Processing (40%) Execute full-cycle, multi-country payroll processing for all Alimentiv employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with applicable legislation across Canada, the United States, and global EOR jurisdictions. Validate and reconcile payroll inputs including new hires, terminations, salary changes, bonuses, and statutory deductions prior to each pay run. Prepare and submit government remittances, statutory filings, and year-end reporting obligations including T4s, W-2s, and other country-specific requirements. Manage off-cycle and adjustment payrolls as required, ensuring appropriate documentation and audit trails. Maintain payroll records in accordance with regulatory retention requirements and organizational data governance standards. Stakeholder Service and Communication (35%) Serve as the primary point of contact for employee payroll inquiries, resolving pay questions with accuracy and professionalism. Serve as the primary escalation point for Payroll Coordinators, investigating and resolving complex payroll issues, exceptions, and inquiries that require advanced knowledge or judgment beyond standard processing procedures. Collaborate with Finance on payroll reconciliations, journal entries, and budget reporting to ensure alignment across financial systems. Coordinate with HR Business Partners and People Operations on employee lifecycle events affecting payroll, including leaves, benefits elections, and terminations. Liaise with external payroll vendors and government agencies on remittance matters, regulatory inquiries, and service deliver. Compliance and Audit (10%) Monitor changes to payroll legislation, tax regulations, and employment standards across all jurisdictions in which Alimentiv operates and implement required updates. Prepare payroll-related documentation and data in support of internal and external audits, responding to auditor inquiries with accuracy and timeliness. Identify and escalate payroll compliance risks, recommending corrective actions where applicable. Ensure payroll processes align with SOX controls, SOC 2 requirements, and other applicable governance frameworks. Continuous Improvement and Systems (10%) Identify and lead opportunities to streamline payroll workflows, reduce manual effort, and improve data accuracy across the payroll cycle. Support the configuration, testing, and optimization of payroll and HRIS modules to ensure system integrity and alignment with business requirements. Contribute to payroll modernization initiatives including vendor transitions, system implementations, and process redesign projects. Maintain payroll system data governance practices, including access controls and validation processes. Team Capability and Mentorship (5%) Provide guidance and on-the-job mentoring to Payroll Coordinators and junior payroll staff to build team capability and ensure consistent payroll execution. Develop and maintain training materials, process guides, and documentation that reduce knowledge dependency and support team development. Qualifications Minimum of 4 - 6 years of related experience Post-secondary certificate / diploma (College, Training Institute, etc.) Fluent writing, reading, and oral communication in English Additional Knowledge and Skills In-depth knowledge of global payroll legislation (e.g. United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Romania, Canada, United States, Brazil, Australia) payroll legislation, tax regulations, and employment standards across multiple jurisdictions. Hands-on experience with payroll systems and HRIS platforms, including system configuration, data validation, and reporting. Strong proficiency in payroll reconciliation, journal entries, and financial reporting processes. Familiarity with global EOR payroll models and multi-country payroll vendor management. Working knowledge of SOX controls, SOC 2 requirements, and payroll audit practices. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reconciliation, and reporting. Ability to manage competing deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. Discretion and professionalism in handling confidential employee and financial information. Professional payroll designation is strongly preferred