Senior Payroll Manager (UAE) - Compliance & Ops Lead

Confidential Company; Umm Al Quwain; On-site; AED 250,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Company in the United Arab Emirates is seeking an experienced payroll leader to oversee end-to-end payroll processing for a large workforce across UAE locations. You will ensure accurate salary disbursement, statutory compliance and coordination with HR and Finance, while managing payroll audits and resolving compensation queries.

The role requires 7–10 years of payroll experience, including at least 3 years in a managerial capacity, and UAE-specific payroll expertise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in commerce, finance, HR or related field.
• 7–10 years of payroll experience, with a minimum of 3 years in a managerial role.
• Mandatory experience in UAE in a similar payroll role and handling payroll for large workforces (1000+ employees).
• Professional certifications preferred (e.g., CPP).
• Construction/real‑estate industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end‑to‑end payroll processing, ensuring accurate and timely salary disbursement, statutory compliance and coordination with HR and Finance.
• Manage payroll audits and address employee compensation queries.
• Process monthly payroll for all employees across UAE locations, computing salaries, benefits, incentives, overtime, leaves and deductions; reconcile payroll before final payment and obtain approvals.
• Ensure statutory reporting compliance, timely payment and filing of statutory dues, preparation and submission of statutory returns per UAE labour and tax laws, and adherence to wage and employment benefit regulations.
• Maintain payroll records in ERP/HRMS systems and handle internal and external payroll audits; liaise with IT HRMS vendors for smooth system functioning.
• Coordinate with HR, Finance and other departments for payroll inputs, CTC changes and budget forecasts; address employee queries on payslips, deductions and reimbursements; manage final settlements for exiting employees.
• Generate monthly payroll reports, cost summaries, headcount and variance analysis; support year‑end payroll closing, tax declarations and Form16 issuance.
• Operate within company payroll policy, legal frameworks and statutory compliance; authorize verification and release of payroll reports for approval and escalate discrepancies or policy exceptions to senior leadership.
• Engage with external statutory authorities, payroll consultants, auditors and HRMS vendors to ensure smooth payroll operations.

Skills

HRMS/payroll software

Excel

Payroll systems

Discretion & confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in commerce, finance, HR or related field

Tools

ERP/HRMS systems

Job description

Confidential Company in the United Arab Emirates is seeking an experienced payroll leader to oversee end-to-end payroll processing for a large workforce across UAE locations. You will ensure accurate salary disbursement, statutory compliance and coordination with HR and Finance, while managing payroll audits and resolving compensation queries.

The role requires 7–10 years of payroll experience, including at least 3 years in a managerial capacity, and UAE-specific payroll expertise.