Global Payroll Operations Nordics

Payroll Lead

Job Overview
Our client is seeking an experienced, detail-driven Payroll Lead to join their HR Operations function in the UK, supporting payroll delivery across Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Slovakia.

This is a hands-on, individual contributor role with end-to-end ownership of multi-country payroll processes. The role is pivotal in ensuring payroll accuracy, statutory compliance, and a smooth employee experience across multiple European jurisdictions.

Working closely with HR, Finance, and external payroll providers, the Payroll Lead will act as the regional subject-matter expert for payroll operations, strengthening controls, improving data integrity, and driving continuous improvement — without line management responsibility.

Key Responsibilities
In this role, you will:

• Manage end-to-end monthly payroll processing across multiple European countries, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with local statutory requirements
• Validate, reconcile, and audit payroll inputs and outputs, including new starters, leavers, salary changes, bonuses, and statutory deductions
• Act as the primary operational contact for HR, Finance, and external payroll providers to resolve discrepancies and ensure smooth payroll delivery
• Maintain accurate, secure, and audit-ready payroll records in line with local retention legislation and internal policies
• Respond to payroll-related queries from employees and managers, providing clear, professional, and timely support
• Monitor changes in payroll legislation and ensure payroll processes and controls remain fully compliant across all supported jurisdictions
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, and overall employee experience
• Develop and maintain comprehensive payroll process documentation, including process maps and country-specific requirements, to support operational consistency and knowledge sharing

Experience & Capability Profile

This role would suit someone who brings:

• 3–5+ years’ experience in payroll processing, ideally within a multi-country or shared services environment
• Strong working knowledge of payroll legislation and statutory requirements across multiple European jurisdictions (Nordics experience highly desirable)
• Proven experience managing payroll through external providers and complex stakeholder environments
• Advanced experience using payroll and HR systems (e.g. ADP, Workday, ServiceNow, or similar platforms)
• Exceptional attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and the ability to manage strict monthly deadlines
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a continuous improvement mindset
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex payroll matters clearly and confidently
• A strong commitment to confidentiality, compliance, and high professional standards