Global Payroll Manager

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Global Payroll Manager to lead our payroll operations and drive process improvements as we continue to scale. This critical role combines operational excellence, strategic planning, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will bring payroll expertise, accounting knowledge, and a proactive approach to enhancing payroll systems and stakeholder collaboration. This is an exciting opportunity to build on a strong foundation, ensure compliance across global jurisdictions, and foster a positive and high-performing team environment.

What You’ll Be Doing:

Payroll Operations:

• Oversee the accurate and timely payroll management of 1500+ employees across Spain, UK, Germany, US, and other geographies as we expand.
• Partner with payroll vendors to ensure compliance and seamless payroll processing across all jurisdictions.
• Oversee payroll accounting processes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and reporting directly into NetSuite (ERP).
• Manage and maintain compliance with all government regulations related to payroll, taxation, social security, and employer contributions.
• Collaborate with the People Operations team to maintain data quality in HR and payroll systems while driving process improvements that enhance the employee experience and encourage self-service.
• Ensure contingency plans are in place for critical payroll and accounting processes to guarantee seamless operations during absences or transitions.

Team Leadership:

• Lead, coach, and motivate a team, fostering a culture of ownership, accountability, and growth.
• Set clear roles and responsibilities, providing team members with development opportunities and career growth pathways.
• Build a strong team dynamic by involving team members in decision-making and goal-setting, and encouraging innovation and collaboration.

Strategic Initiatives:

• Drive payroll system optimization, including the implementation and rollout of tools.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, such as Finance, Revenue Operations, Workforce Management, and Total Rewards, to address payroll impacts in ongoing projects.
• Contribute to strategic projects, such as secondary sales, employee equity plans, and benefit integration, ensuring payroll accuracy and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Support mergers and acquisitions by integrating payroll processes and ensuring compliance across new entities.

Process Improvement and Knowledge Sharing:

• Document payroll and accounting processes to ensure consistency and knowledge continuity within the team.
• Develop and execute payroll education strategies to enable employees to better understand payroll policies, taxation, and self-service tools.
• Maintain and expand the internal knowledge base for employees, ensuring payroll-related information is clear, accessible, and updated regularly.

What You’ll Bring:

Required Skills and Experience:

• Extensive experience in payroll operations across multiple countries, particularly Spain and the UK. Familiarity with German, US, and other international labor laws is a plus.
• Hands-on experience with payroll accounting processes, including reconciliations, journal entries, and financial reporting.
• Proficiency in tools such as Microsoft Office and GSuite, particularly Excel/Google Sheets. Experience working with payroll systems (e.g., Payzaar) and HRIS systems.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively coach team members and build trusted relationships with stakeholders.
• Fluency in English.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Previous experience with mergers and acquisitions is preferred but not a must.
• Experience working in hyper-growth startups.
• Familiarity with benefit and reward programs, such as equity plans and secondary sales processes.
• Strong process documentation and knowledge-sharing capabilities.

Personal Attributes:

• A strategic thinker with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• A collaborative and transparent leader who inspires trust and motivates their team.
• An innovative mindset with a passion for process improvement and automation.
• Resilient under pressure, maintaining positivity and focus in challenging situations.

Our Benefits

• 💰 A competitive compensation package, including equity in TravelPerk;
• 🌴 Generous vacation days so you can rest and recharge;
• 💊 Health perks such as private healthcare or gym allowance, depending on your location;
• 🥳 Unforgettable TravelPerk events;
• 💙 A mental health support tool for your wellbeing;
• 📒 Exponential growth & personal development opportunities.
• 🫶 VolunteerPerk - 16 paid hours per year to volunteer for a cause of your choice.
• 🌎 "Work from anywhere" in the world allowance of 20 working days per year.
• 📚 IRL English or Spanish Lessons are held in the Barcelona office.

How We Work & Values

Our Vision is for a world where TravelPerk is the platform for human connection in real life (IRL). We take an IRL-first approach to work, where our team works together in person 3 days a week. As such, this role requires you to be within commuting distance of our Barcelona HQ. We fundamentally believe in meeting in real life to improve connectivity, productivity, and creativity, ultimately making us a great workplace.

At TravelPerk, we prioritise experience and potential over academic qualifications for this role. We believe that talent and ability aren't always reflected in formal credentials.

We provide relocation assistance for specific roles. Please specify your need for this in your application, and we will evaluate the possibility on a case-by-case basis. English is our official office language, so we request that resumes be submitted in English for effective communication.

TravelPerk is a global company with a diverse customer base—, and we want to ensure that the people behind our product reflect that. We're an equal opportunity employer, meaning you're welcome at TravelPerk regardless of your appearance, where you're from, or anything else that makes you. 

You can check about our values here. We'll guide you through our culture and explain how it will underpin your success in this role.

Read more about our latest updates here.