Temporary EMEIA Payroll Specialist

Our client, a major multinational organisation, is working with us exclusively in seeking a talented professional to join their Global Payroll Services team on 6-month temporary contract, based in Cork. This role is pivotal in ensuring timely, accurate, and comprehensive payroll support across numerous countries, offering a chance to apply cutting-edge data science and systems analysis expertise within a critical business function.

As a key member of the team, you will provide high-quality support and analysis for global payroll systems. Your responsibilities will include:

Core Responsibilities

• Partner with internal stakeholders to manage end-to-end payroll processing. Ensure all cycles are executed accurately, on time, and in full compliance with local statutory regulations.

• Focus on detailed reporting and rigorous reconciliation of pay data to guarantee the precision of monthly disbursements.

• Collaborate with Compliance, Global Payroll leads, and third-party vendors to develop deep subject matter expertise for assigned territories. Stay current on the EMEA regulatory landscape, implementing and communicating the impact of legislative changes on internal workflows.

• Maintain robust control frameworks to capture and reconcile month-over-month variances. Ensure all process documentation and "desktop procedures" are updated regularly to reflect current best practices.

• Act as the primary point of contact for employee pay queries. Use internal HRIS and payroll systems to resolve issues within established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

• Coordinate with external consultants regarding complex payroll treatments, including expatriate management and international assignments.

• Work alongside the Payroll Accounting team to complete month-end and quarter-end reconciliations with minimal aging. Support internal and external audits to verify the integrity of payroll data.

• Proactively identify and drive efficiencies. Participate in project-based work to implement scalable payroll solutions and improve system functionality.

• Build and sustain productive partnerships with both internal business units and external service providers.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned International Payroll Specialist with a proven track record in multinational environments. You should be adept at navigating complex organisational structures and possess a high level of technical proficiency.

• Extensive experience with SAP and advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and complex formulas) are essential
• A meticulous approach to ensuring error-free payroll execution
• The ability to thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment while meeting strict deadlines and adapting to shifting priorities.
• A mindset focused on process analysis and the ability to translate business requirements into pragmatic, effective solutions
• Comfortable working within multi-functional, diverse teams and managing the ambiguity inherent in global operation
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to negotiate and influence stakeholders
• Full professional fluency in English is required; additional European languages are highly desirable.
• Ideally IPASS certified or holding an equivalent international payroll qualification.