Lead - Payroll

Role Overview:

As a Lead Payroll, you will act as a on payroll operations, handling complex payroll scenarios, ensuring compliance, and driving process improvements.

Key Responsibilities:

1. End-to-End Payroll Execution

  • Manage complete payroll cycles for assigned population
  • Review payroll outputs and ensure 100% accuracy
  • Handle off-cycle payrolls and adjustments

2. Compliance & Audit

  • Ensure compliance with Colombia payroll laws and statutory regulations
  • Prepare audit documentation and support audits
  • Monitor changes in payroll regulations

3. Escalation & Issue Resolution (Tier 2/3)

  • Handle complex payroll discrepancies
  • Perform root cause analysis (RCA)
  • Ensure permanent resolution of recurring issues

4. Systems & Data Management

  • Validate system integrations and data flow
  • Identify system issues and coordinate fixes

5. Process Optimization

  • Drive standardization of payroll processes
  • Support automation initiatives
  • Train L1/L2 team members

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: 5–7 years of progressive experience in payroll administration, payroll shared services, or payroll operations.

• Technical Mastery: Strong expertise in payroll calculations, payroll reconciliation, payroll reporting, and payroll adjustments.

• System Expertise: Hands-on experience with enterprise payroll systems such as ADP, SAP Payroll, or similar platforms.

• Compliance Knowledge: Strong understanding of payroll compliance requirements, tax regulations, and payroll audit readiness.

• Case Management: Experience managing payroll escalations, employee payroll disputes, and high-volume payroll support requests.

• Leadership Exposure: Experience guiding payroll analysts or supporting payroll team operations.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, HR, Accounting, or related field.

Core Competencies

• Accuracy & Compliance: Maintains high standards of payroll accuracy while ensuring payroll calculations and deductions comply with regulatory requirements and internal payroll policies.

• Analytical Problem Solving: Ability to analyze payroll data, reconcile discrepancies between HRIS and payroll systems, and implement corrective actions.

• Operational Efficiency: Focuses on improving payroll workflows and reducing operational inefficiencies through improved processes and system utilization.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with HRIS, Compensation & Benefits, HR Operations, and Finance teams to ensure seamless payroll data management.

• Escalation Management: Handles complex payroll issues and employee payroll escalations, ensuring timely and effective resolution.

• Team Guidance: Provides operational support and guidance to payroll analysts and senior analysts to maintain payroll processing quality.

• Data Governance: Ensures payroll data accuracy, documentation completeness, and compliance with payroll governance standards.

ion will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

See also

Finance jobs by country — openings, pay and top skills →

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