Global Payroll Implementation Lead (Workday)

Houlihan Lokey; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Houlihan Lokey in Manchester is seeking a proactive Global Payroll Project Manager for a 2-year fixed-term assignment within our Human Capital Group. You will lead end-to-end global payroll implementations across multiple countries, languages, and time zones, coordinating with MSPs, IT, HR, and Finance to deliver data-driven payroll solutions.

This hybrid role requires strong PM skills, hands-on Workday HCM experience, and a proven track record of managing cross‑functional, multi-jurisdictional

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of dedicated project management or operational implementation experience, with at least 3 years focused on end-to-end global payroll migrations and vendor management.
• Practical experience with Workday HCM and Global Payroll implementations with managed service partners.
• Experience managing global payroll rollouts across multiple jurisdictions and time zones.
• Proficiency in PM methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid, Lean Six Sigma) and tools like Asana, Jira, SmartSheets.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
• Detail-oriented, highly organized, and able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with VP Global Payroll & Strategic Initiatives and MSPs to implement Global Payroll across international entities.
• Develop detailed country-specific project plans, timelines, and resource allocations.
• Manage scope, milestones, and risk with mitigation strategies.
• Oversight of data migration, QA, testing, and parallel payroll cycles.
• Coordinate with Workday Solutions and IT for integrations between Workday HCM and Global Payroll.
• Serve as liaison between HCG teams, IT, and external vendors.
• Lead change management, SOPs, and post-implementation support.

Skills

Project management

Vendor management

Workday HCM

Global payroll

English communication

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, HRM, MIS, or related field

Tools

Asana

Jira

SmartSheets

Job description

Houlihan Lokey in Manchester is seeking a proactive Global Payroll Project Manager for a 2-year fixed-term assignment within our Human Capital Group. You will lead end-to-end global payroll implementations across multiple countries, languages, and time zones, coordinating with MSPs, IT, HR, and Finance to deliver data-driven payroll solutions.

This hybrid role requires strong PM skills, hands-on Workday HCM experience, and a proven track record of managing cross‑functional, multi-jurisdictional