Project Manager – Payroll, Absence

How will you CONTRIBUTE and GROW?THIS IS A FIXED-TERM CONTRACT ROLE (12 to 24 months).
We are looking for a Program Manager to lead the end-to-end implementation of the new payroll provider(s) and Workday Time Tracking and Absence module for all Air Liquide entities in Middle East, India and Africa in a phased manner. The position is expected to work in tandem with the providers' program manager and responsible for planning, readiness, and successful implementation and stabilization of the TT&A module as well as the new payroll provider(s) across the scope.

Key Responsibilities:

• Establish a clear and aligned scope with the key stakeholders - Steering committee, Country leadership teams, provider(s) and the Global BSC, identify dependencies and develop a robust implementation plan with clear timelines.

• Establish, monitor and implement tight budgetary control

• Participate and contribute to the Tool(s) and payroll provider(s) selection process

• Establish and maintain a clear project governance structure and a consistent reporting cadence, which involves facilitating regular meetings for both the steering committee and project stakeholders.

• Drive the delivery of Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking implementations and enhancements across multiple legal entities in these countries

• Lead cutover planning, including data migration, system readiness, blackout windows, and go/no-go criteria

• Define and manage a structured hypercare plan with clear support pathways, ownership, and escalation processes.

• Coordinate with local deployment project managers in each country to align timelines, legal requirements, and go-live activities

• Coordinate penny tests, payroll parallel runs, and validation cycles across systems and vendors

• Oversee and validate GL file postings

• Collaborate with Finance on Kyriba integration setup, including bank file formats, payments testing, and approvals. 

• Serve as the primary interface between HRDS, BSC, HR, Country Project Manager,  Finance, IT, and external vendors. 

• Track and coordinate program risks, change control, and program governance routines

• Coordinate with country PMs, BSC, and HR to translate business requirements into system designs and configuration, especially in  Absence, Time Tracking, and Payroll. 

• Define, support, track, and report test strategies including SITs, SBTs, and Parallel runs. 

• Coordinate the actions to ensure master data quality and alignment between HRIS, payroll engines, and finance systems.

• Monitor and report program KPIs and readiness gates to executive stakeholders

• Coordinate training and change management ensuring proper knowledge transfer.

• Conduct post-implementation reviews to analyze outcomes and capture key lessons learned for future country deployments.

___________________Are you a MATCH?

Qualification & Skills:

Must-Have: 

• 8 plus years of experience in global payroll/HR tech program deliveries

• At least 2 full lifecycle implementations of payroll and TT&A projects in the region

• Proven experience with Workday, Absence and Time, and Integrations. 

• Strong understanding of GL posting and bank payment testing

• Hands-on experience with cutover, hypercare, parallel runs, and country rollouts

• Strong cross-functional leadership and program management skills.

• Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple workstreams.

• Ability to drive accountability across cross-functional teams.

• Awareness of applicable privacy and labour laws 

Nice to Have:

• Experience working with multi-country payroll deployments (especially in the AMEI region).

• Project management certification.

Our Differences make our Performance

At Air Liquide, we are committed to build a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world.

We welcome and consider applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their background. We strongly believe a diverse organization opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to innovate by living our fundamentals, acting for our success and creating an engaging environment in a changing world.

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