Global Payroll Implementation Manager

We are seeking a seasoned Global Payroll Implementation Manager to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of payroll implementation projects. This role requires expertise in global payroll outsourcing and SaaS scale-up environments, with a focus on ensuring compliance with local and international regulations.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 7 years of experience in end-to-end global payroll implementations project management, with a strong track record of delivering projects within designated timelines while maintaining client satisfaction and building strong relationships.

The primary responsibilities of this role include:

• Developing and maintaining comprehensive project documentation, including project plans, scope documents, and requirement specifications;
• Ensuring all project artifacts are stored in a structured and accessible format, complying with internal documentation standards;
• Maintaining version control for all project-related documents, ensuring alignment with changes in project scope and objectives;
• Providing documentation support for compliance audits and internal process evaluations;
• Establishing standardized templates for project documentation to ensure consistency and completeness;
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to gather and update documentation as needed;
• Defining project scope based on the Master Service Agreement (MSA) to prevent scope creep;
• Establishing and maintaining processes for managing scope, quality, performance standards, and risk assessment;
• Keeping the project plan up-to-date and coordinating project plan changes with internal and external stakeholders;
• Analyzing project status and revising scope, schedule, or budget as necessary to meet project requirements;
• Initiating and defining goals and objectives according to client expectations;
• Ensuring pre-implementation readiness by sharing the scoping checklist and necessary documents with the client;
• Developing a detailed project plan in Monday.com, ensuring integration and module deployment timelines are included;
• Adapting strategies for global payroll outsourcing and SaaS scale-up environments, ensuring compliance with local and international payroll regulations;
• Identifying and allocating necessary resources, including personnel, budget, and technology, ensuring efficient utilization;
• Developing and maintaining a resource management plan to optimize workforce allocation and prevent resource conflicts;
• Establishing crucial project milestones and timelines for each phase, ensuring alignment with project objectives;
• Actively monitoring for potential risks, conducting risk assessments, and implementing proactive mitigation strategies;
• Maintaining and updating a RAID (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies) log in Monday Board to track and address risks in a timely manner;
• Establishing contingency plans and escalation procedures for high-risk project scenarios;
• Ensuring compliance with industry-specific regulations, such as GDPR and SOC 2 for SaaS-based payroll solutions, and integrating compliance considerations into project risk assessments;
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to assess and address dependencies that may impact resource availability and risk exposure;
• Conducting regular risk and resource review meetings to evaluate project health and adjusting resource allocations as needed;
• Implementing reporting mechanisms to provide visibility into resource utilization and risk management effectiveness for key stakeholders;
• Managing client expectations with respect to the scope and project timelines;
• Acting as the primary contact for client stakeholders, providing regular updates on project status and changes;
• Scheduling and leading project meetings, health checks, and monthly steering committee (Steerco) meetings;
• Presenting project progress reports to executive management;
• Ensuring timely and transparent communication of key milestones, including Hypercare transition;
• Fostering collaboration with product development teams in SaaS scale-ups to ensure smooth integration and feature adaptability;
• Ensuring that all client business requirements are documented in accordance with the company's documentation requirements;
• Conducting operational business requirements gathering using standard implementation toolkit artifacts;
• Identifying and documenting process or scope gaps and communicating them to clients;
• Aligning with the configuration team to ensure timely delivery and evaluation of configuration and unit testing;
• Assisting in defining product enhancements based on client feedback in SaaS-driven payroll environments;
• Coordinating data dictionary and wage type catalog requirements with the integration team;
• Overseeing system integration testing and ensuring client sign-off on results;
• Managing master data migration planning, template preparation, and validation processes;
• Ensuring data migration steps are clearly communicated and documented;
• Implementing automated data validation checks and reconciliation for SaaS-based payroll platforms;
• Overseeing and supervising all testing processes, ensuring adherence to company standards and best practices;
• Defining and enforcing testing methodologies, entry and exit criteria, and validation protocols;
• Coordinating with internal teams and clients to ensure comprehensive test planning and execution;
• Ensuring proper tracking and documentation of test results, approvals, and compliance with regulatory requirements;
• Developing and executing a structured training plan to educate clients on system functionalities, payroll processes, and compliance requirements;
• Providing hands-on training sessions, user guides, and support materials tailored to client needs;
• Conducting readiness assessments to confirm clients' preparedness for go-live and addressing any gaps identified;
• Ensuring all required training milestones are met before project completion and tracking client progress in learning systems;
• Working closely with internal teams to align training content with the latest product updates and enhancements;
• Ensuring clients understand go-live entry and exit criteria and obtaining final sign-off;
• Developing post-go-live support strategies to assist clients during the transition period;
• Completing and obtaining sign-off on the Go-Live Checklist from the audit team and client;
• Developing and implementing client training for self-service payroll platforms in SaaS environments;
• Ensuring timely and accurate project status reporting in accordance with company standards;
• Maintaining up-to-date documentation of project progress, key milestones, and identified risks;
• Preparing and distributing periodic project reports to internal and external stakeholders;
• Communicating project health metrics and proactively highlighting any deviations from the project plan;
• Coordinating with relevant teams to ensure alignment on project progress and deliverables;
• Implementing tracking mechanisms to measure project performance against established benchmarks;
• Managing change management in accordance with the established change management processes;
• Ensuring Hypercare exit criteria are met and managing client handover to BAU teams;
• Monitoring post-implementation performance metrics and customer feedback for continuous improvement;
• Developing frameworks for continuous iteration and scalability of payroll implementation processes;