Payroll Manager

Title: Payroll Manager
Location: India
Scope of Management: Leadership, Finance Department and the Bu HR team

Job Description:

Payroll Operations

• Direct end-to-end payroll processing for 2000+ employees, ensuring 100% accuracy in salary disbursement, tax deductions, and variable pay.
• Oversee payroll components, including Full & Final (F&F) settlements, reimbursements, bonus, gratuity, and leave encashment, in line with company policies and statutory requirements.
• Monitor payroll inputs/outputs, resolve discrepancies, and maintain strict adherence to defined payroll calendars and SLA timelines.
• Manage payroll accounting and reconciliations, including bank file preparation, journal entry (JV) validation, and ledger scrutiny.
• Analyze the payrolls and identify the cost involved monthly and annually.
• Prepare budget for payroll and related processes.
• Communicate and provide support to internal departments and employees on payroll related processes and policies.

Compliance & Audit

• Ensure 100% compliance with statutory mandates including PF, ESIC, PT, LWF, TDS (eTDS filing, Form 16, and Form 24Q), and labor law regulations across all locations.
• Act as the SPOC for internal, external, and statutory audits, providing timely documentation and resolving audit queries.
• Manage vendor/consultancy relationships and coordinate with government authorities for registration, compliance, and inspections.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead, mentor, and build a high-performing payroll team, setting performance goals and KPIs to ensure operational consistency.
• Act as a central point of contact for payroll-related escalations and provide expert advisory support to HR, Finance, and leadership teams.
• Drive employee experience by leading helpdesk initiatives, conducting payroll inductions for new hires, and resolving complex payroll queries.

Transition & System Migration

• Lead system migrations: Spearhead the transition from legacy systems to new HRMS/Payroll software, including data mapping, validation, and user acceptance testing.
• Process Enhancement: Design and implement Standard Operating Procedures to automate manual processes and eliminate payroll discrepancies.
• Configuration: Oversee payroll software configuration, including salary structure setups, pay-logic updates, and workflow automation to drive efficiency

Required Experience:

• Experience: 6-10+ years of progressive experience in payroll operations, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity managing 1000+ headcount.
• Technical Proficiency: Expert-level proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, Macros) and hands-on experience with major Payroll/HRMS software
• Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth understanding of Indian labor laws, income tax acts, and statutory compliance frameworks.
• Soft Skills: Strong analytical approach, logical and reasoning ability, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
• Transition Expertise: Proven track record of managing end-to-end payroll transitions, migrations, or HRMS implementation projects.