Payroll & HR Process Manager

Zoetis Inc; Louvain-la-Neuve; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoetis Inc. is seeking a Senior Payroll Expert to own and optimize end-to-end payroll processes for Belgium (Louvain-la-Neuve and Zaventem) and the Netherlands (Capelle aan den IJssel).

You will ensure accuracy, confidentiality and compliance while partnering with external providers and internal stakeholders. The role requires 10+ years in payroll/HR operations, deep knowledge of social legislation, taxation, and complex compensation topics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in HR or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years in payroll, compensation, and HR operations.
• Experience overseeing end-to-end payroll processes.
• Strong knowledge of social legislation, taxation and year-end processes.
• Experience with payroll audits and inspections.
• Ability to coach payroll professionals.
• Fluent English; French and Dutch proficiency.
• International/multi-site experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll for Belgium and Netherlands.
• Be SME for payroll, employment conditions and compensation topics.
• Review complex payroll cases and provide recommendations.
• Coordinate with external providers and internal stakeholders.
• Maintain payroll controls, documentation and governance.
• Lead inspections and audits.
• Coordinate social-security, labour and tax inspections.
• Act as contact for audits relating to payroll and benefits.
• Advise stakeholders on payroll, tax and social-security impact.
• Shape and review compensation and benefits policies.
• Ensure policies reflected in payroll.
• Monitor regulatory developments.
• Translate legal requirements into guidance.
• Lead or contribute to payroll projects.
• Support harmonisation across Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Manage stakeholder relationships.
• Provide strategic advice to management and Site Leadership Teams.
• Lead and develop the payroll team.
• Set priorities and monitor workload.
• Foster a positive, accountable team environment.

Skills

Payroll management

End-to-end payroll

Taxation knowledge

Social security

Payroll controls

Audit coordination

Data analysis

Excel skills

Employee data privacy

Stakeholder management

Multisite coordination

eBlox

Protime

French

Dutch

English

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in HR

HR degree or equivalent

Tools

eBlox

Protime

Excel

Job description

Own payroll expertise and processes

• Oversee and participate in the end-to-end payroll processes for Belgium (Louvain-la-Neuve and Zaventem) and the Netherlands (Capelle ad IJssel), from payroll input preparation and validation through to final review and issue resolution, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, confidentiality and compliance.
• Act as the subject‑matter expert for payroll, employment conditions, social security, taxation and payroll‑related matters and specific compensation topics such as warrants, LTI’s, annual bonus plans, special tax status employees,…
• Review complex payroll cases and provide practical recommendations.
• Coordinate effectively with external payroll providers and internal stakeholders.
• Maintain robust payroll controls, documentation, reconciliations and governance.
• Lead inspections and audits
• Coordinate social‑security, labour and tax inspections.
• Act as the key contact for internal and external audits relating to payroll, compensation and benefits, HR controls and employee data.
• Track findings, implement corrective actions and strengthen processes to reduce compliance and financial risks.
• Shape compensation and benefits policies
• Contribute to the design, implementation and review of compensation and benefits policies in line with business needs and local requirements.
• Ensure that payroll processes accurately reflect approved policies
• Advise stakeholders on the payroll, tax and social‑security impact of compensation and benefits decisions.
• Ensure compliance and continuous improvement
• Own and maintain payroll policies, procedures and guidance for the relevant countries.
• Monitor regulatory developments and assess their impact on payroll processes.
• Translate legal and policy requirements into clear and practical guidance.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and improve payroll and HR administration processes.
• Lead or contribute to projects involving payroll, HR systems, compensation and benefits, and employee data.
• Support process harmonisation across Belgium and the Netherlands where appropriate.
• Manage stakeholder relationships
• Act as a trusted point of contact for HR, Finance, managers, employees, external providers, auditors and authorities.
• Provide proactive, reliable and strategic advice to management and the Site Leadership Teams on payroll, compensation and benefits, employment conditions, tax and social‑security matters, compliance risks and related people decisions.
• Communicate clearly and proactively on sensitive or complex topics.
• Lead and develop the payroll team
• Manage, coach and support the Payroll Officer.
• Set clear priorities, allocate responsibilities and monitor workload.
• Foster a positive, accountable and service‑oriented team environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human Resources or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in payroll, compensation and benefits, HR operations or a related field, including solid experience managing payroll activities.
• Proven experience overseeing and actively participating in end‑to‑end payroll processes.
• Strong working knowledge of social legislation, employment conditions, social security, taxation, payroll reporting and year‑end processes. Demonstrated expertise in complex compensation and benefits matters, including bonus plans, warrants, long‑term incentives, special tax regimes and other payroll‑related compensation topics.
• Experience coordinating social‑security, labour and tax inspections, as well as internal and external audits.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective payroll controls, reconciliations, documentation and governance frameworks.
• Experience managing, coaching or supervising payroll professionals, with the ability to allocate responsibilities, set priorities and monitor workload.
• Experience with eBlox and Protime; strong Excel and data‑analysis skills.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to interpret complex legal, tax and social‑security requirements and translate them into clear, practical guidance for stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential and sensitive employee, payroll and compensation data with discretion and integrity.
• Strong stakeholder‑management and communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with employees, managers, HR, Finance, external providers, auditors and authorities.
• Fluency in English; professional proficiency in French and Dutch.
• Experience in an international, matrix or multi‑site environment is an asset.

Full time

Regular

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