Senior Payroll Specialist

Monroe Consulting Group, an Executive Recruitment firm, is partnering with an organisation in the Healthcare sector to hire a Senior Payroll Specialist, SEA. This opportunity is based in Malaysia, with regional coverage across Southeast Asia.

Position Overview
The role is responsible for managing end-to-end payroll operations across multiple Southeast Asian countries. It plays a critical role in ensuring compliance, accuracy, and efficiency while supporting regional initiatives and enhancing employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

• Prepare, validate and submit monthly payroll inputs to external payroll vendors.

• Review payroll calculations, statutory deductions, taxes, and benefit-related transactions for accuracy.

• Ensure payroll is processed accurately and within established payroll calendars and statutory deadlines.

• Coordinate off-cycle payrolls, salary adjustments, bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime payments, and final settlements.

• Process payroll activities relating to new hires, transfers, promotions, salary changes and employee terminations.

• Respond to payroll-related enquiries from employees, HR Business Partners and Finance.

• Liaise with external payroll vendors to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing.

• Monitor payroll deliverables and escalate payroll issues where necessary.

• Participate in payroll system enhancements and process improvements.

• Ensure payroll complies with country-specific employment legislation, tax regulations and statutory requirements.

• Support annual tax filings, statutory reporting and year-end payroll activities.

• Prepare payroll documentation required for internal and external audits.

• Maintain payroll records in accordance with company policies and compliance standards.

• Maintain accurate payroll-related employee master data within HRIS and payroll systems.

• Validate employee movements impacting payroll, including hires, exits, promotions and salary revisions.

• Support payroll reporting and headcount reconciliation.

• Build strong working relationships with HR, Finance, payroll vendors and regional business stakeholders.

• Provide professional payroll support while maintaining confidentiality of employee information.

• Support Payroll Manager with regional payroll initiatives and special projects.

Key Requirements

• Qualifications & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related discipline.

  • Minimum 5 years of payroll experience, preferably in a multinational environment.

  • Experience managing multi-country payroll across Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia highly preferred.

  • Good knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation and statutory requirements across Southeast Asia.

• Technical / Functional Expertise

  • Experience working with outsourced payroll vendors (e.g. BIPO, ADP, TMF, BoardRoom or similar).

  • Experience using HRIS and payroll systems (SAP SuccessFactors experience is an advantage).

  • Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and data reconciliation.

  • Strong attention to detail with high levels of accuracy and confidentiality.

  • Ability to manage multiple payroll cycles simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.

• Soft Skills & Leadership Competencies

  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

  • Able to work independently while collaborating effectively within a regional team.

  • Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise effectively.

  • Professional integrity and commitment to confidentiality.