EMEA Payroll and Benefits Associate - 12 months FTC

Ares Management; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the financial services industry is seeking an Associate, EMEA Payroll & Benefits to support full-cycle payroll activity for multiple EMEA locations. The role demands strong analytical skills, proficiency in payroll operations, and a proactive approach to ensure compliance and streamline processes.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in payroll operations, ideally in financial services.
• Exposure to EMEA payroll regulations preferred.
• Strong communication skills and team orientation.

Responsibilities

• Support the monthly payroll cycle across multiple EMEA countries.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure accurate employee data.
• Participate in internal audits and ensure compliance with standards.

Skills

Excel

Communication

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Education

CIPP or payroll certification

Tools

Workday

Job description

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Ares is looking for an Associate, EMEA Payroll & Benefits to join the Human Resources team on a fixed term contract. The Associate, EMEA Payroll & Benefits will be responsible for supporting the EMEA Managers of the Payroll and Benefits functions on full-cycle payroll activity, primarily for all International locations. The individual in this role will regularly partner with the wider Payroll and Benefits Team, HR Business Partners, Compensation Business Partners, Finance Business Partners and Business Leaders to ensure employees receive accurate and timely compensation and benefits.

The Associate, EMEA Payroll & Benefits will be involved in supporting the payroll operations and projects across the EMEA region, driving continuous improvement whilst supporting the integrity of pay-related processes that directly impact employee experience. This role will play an important part in the monthly administration of the Company benefits and collaborate with internal stakeholders to maintain accuracy and compliance of all schemes and reporting requirements.

The Associate, EMEA Payroll & Benefits will help with communications, reporting, and analysis. The role will assist with the year-end pay and benefits process for the firm, including the reporting to external third party providers and reconciliation of internal systems.

The successful candidate will help support the EMEA Managers with providing exceptional client service, promptly addressing all related queries and concerns, streamlining and improving our processes to ensure best practices in a fast-paced rapidly growing environment. While the role is global in nature, it is expected to have a focus on the firm’s non-U.S. locations.

Primary functions and essential responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Support the monthly payroll cycle across multiple EMEA countries, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and correct application of benefits, tax, and statutory requirements.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (HR, Finance, Compensation) to ensure proper reflection of employee data, compensation changes, and benefits deductions.
• Contribute to payroll-related projects such as process automation, system improvements, vendor transitions, and regulatory implementations.
• Partner with third-party payroll providers, ensuring quality, timeliness, and resolution of payroll issues across countries.
• Maintain and validate payroll data to support accurate reporting, accounting, and employee benefits delivery.
• Participate in internal audits and ensure alignment with internal controls and compliance standards.
• Assist in documenting and standardizing payroll procedures and best practices across the region.
• Respond to payroll-related employee queries, especially in areas affecting benefits and compensation accuracy.

Qualifications

Education:

• CIPP or other payroll certification preferable.

Experience Required:

• 2+ years of experience in payroll operations, ideally within financial services or a multinational corporation.
• Exposure to EMEA payroll regulations and benefits practices preferred.

General Requirements:

• Strong Excel skills and experience with Workday preferred.
• Proactive communicator with the ability to work across functions and geographies
• An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and competing demands.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize deadlines; result oriented.
• Strong communication skills and team orientation; capability of interacting with key stakeholders to direct prioritization of pay-related activities.
• High accuracy and detail orientation
• Good judgment in terms of escalating issues vs. solving problems independently.
• A solutions-oriented, self-starter and ability to see the big picture.
• A demonstrated ability to research and leverage available resources to accomplish the task at hand.
• Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player.
• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

Reporting Relationships

Vice President, EMEA Payroll

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.