Senior Manager - Global Payroll & HR Operations (m/f/d) Fluency in German

INNIO Group; München; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

INNIO Group is seeking a Senior Manager - Global Payroll & HR Operations (m/f/d) to join their Munich team. This role involves leading outsourced payroll operations for Germany, ensuring compliance and service excellence.

The ideal candidate has strong expertise in German payroll, wage tax, and excellent vendor management skills. A qualification as a Wage Tax Auditor is required. You will manage payroll delivery, advise stakeholders, and drive continuous improvement across HR processes.

Qualifications

• Several years of experience in German payroll and cross-border payroll topics within an international environment.
• Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken.
• Experience leading HR Operations teams or coordinating teams is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage external payroll vendors to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery.
• Serve as the key expert for German payroll tax, social security, and compliance topics.
• Advise HR, Finance, and employees on payroll matters, including wage tax and expatriates.

Skills

German payroll

Wage tax law

Social security regulations

Labor law relevant for payroll

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field

Certified German Wage Tax Auditor

Tools

Workday or other HRIS/payroll systems

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Senior Manager - Global Payroll & HR Operations (m/f/d) to join our team in Munich. In this role, you will lead outsourced payroll operations for Germany, including INNIO Holding, as well as selected international locations such as the Netherlands and Hungary, ensuring excellent vendor management, compliance, and service delivery.

This is a great opportunity for a payroll expert who enjoys working in an international environment and driving high-quality, compliant, and efficient people processes.

The ideal candidate brings strong expertise in German and international payroll, wage tax, social security, and HR operations, along with solid knowledge of German tax and labor regulations. Qualification as a Wage Tax Auditor (“Lohnsteuerprüfer”) is required. This position reports to the Director of HR - Global C&B, HR Systems & Services.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead and manage external payroll vendors to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery
• Serve as the key expert for German payroll tax, social security, and compliance topics, advising the Board and senior leaders
• Review payroll results, reconciliations, accounting interfaces, and support audits and statutory reporting
• Advise HR, Finance, and employees on payroll matters, including wage tax, cross-border setups, benefits, expatriates, and social security
• Lead the HR Operations team for the assigned countries in close collaboration with the international HR Operations Process Leader
• Oversee high‑quality HR Operations processes across the employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding
• Support global mobility and international assignment payroll topics, including shadow payroll and compliance requirements
• Drive process standardization, compliance, and continuous improvement across payroll and HR administration
• Prepare and review relevant payroll and HR documentation, policies, and procedures
• Contribute to international payroll and HR projects

Your Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field
• Certified German Wage Tax Auditor (“Lohnsteuerprüfer”)
• Several years of experience in German payroll and cross‑border payroll topics within an international environment
• Strong expertise in:
  • German payroll (10+ years)
  • Wage tax law
  • Social security regulations
  • Labor law relevant for payroll
  • Proven experience working with outsourced payroll models and external payroll providers
  • Experience leading HR Operations teams or coordinating teams is a plus
  • Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
  • Ability to work independently and manage complex payroll matters with confidence
  • Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including interaction with senior leadership
• Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken

Desired

• Knowledge of expatriate payroll and shadow payroll processes
• Experience with Workday or other HRIS/payroll systems
• Project management experience