Global Payroll Manager (London or Brighton, UK) | Deel & International Payroll Leadership

Zema Global Data Corporation; Brighton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Zema Global Data Corporation in the UK is seeking a Global Payroll Manager to oversee payroll across the US, Canada, UK, Singapore, India, and Europe. You will partner with the People Team and external providers to ensure accurate, compliant payroll.

Ideal candidates bring hands‑on experience with a major payroll platform integrated with an HRIS, strong Excel and reporting skills, and the ability to drive improvements using AI. This hybrid role reports to the Accounting Manager.

Qualifications

• Hands-on ownership of payroll across multiple countries.
• Experience managing concurrent payroll cycles and external providers.
• Experience building or materially improving payroll processes or controls.
• Strong Excel and payroll reporting skills with GL reconciliations.
• Clear, proactive communication with Finance, People teams, providers and employees.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll across multiple countries.
• Collaborate with external payroll providers and EOR partners.
• Manage payroll calendars, cut-offs, and filings.
• Prepare payroll journals and month-end accruals.
• Drive process improvements and AI-assisted workflows.

Skills

Payroll ownership

Cross-country payroll

Process improvement

Excel & reporting

Communication

Education

Payroll qualification

Tools

Deel

NetSuite

Job description

Location

London or Brighton, UK

Department

Finance & Accounting

Work Model:

Hybrid (8 days per month)

Position Type:

Full-time, Permanent

Reports To:

Accounting Manager

Visa Sponsorship

Not available

About Us

Founded in 1995, Zema Global Data Corporation empowers organizations to simplify complexity, reduce risk, and make faster, more confident decisions that drive measurable results. Over the past two years, Zema Global has accelerated its growth through strategic investment and acquisition to strengthen our global leadership. Together we’re helping our customers gain a Decisioning Advantage - one bold idea at a time. With a presence across global energy, commodity, and financial markets, Zema Global empowers customers to simplify complexity, reduce risk, and make faster, more confident decisions that drive measurable results. At Zema Global, we Think Big, Make It Happen, and Win as One. We thrive on collaboration, creativity, and respect, united by a shared drive to innovate and deliver meaningful impact for our customers and communities. If you’re inspired by solving complex challenges and contributing to a culture that values purpose and performance, we invite you to join us.

Position Overview

Zema Global is seeking an experienced Global Payroll Manager to oversee and coordinate payroll operations across multiple countries, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery for employees in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore, India, and Employer of Record (EOR) employees throughout Europe. This role reports to the Accounting Manager and works closely with the Controller, the People Team, and Deel. This role will serve as the primary payroll subject matter expert, partnering closely with the People Team, Finance, external payroll providers, and EOR partners to ensure payroll accuracy, compliance, and an exceptional employee experience. The ideal candidate brings strong international payroll expertise, a continuous improvement mindset, comfort using AI and automation to work smarter, and experience managing complex global payroll operations across multiple jurisdictions.

What You'll Be Doing

Global Payroll Management

• Own the end-to-end payroll process for employees across multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore, India, and EOR-supported employees in Europe.
• Review and validate each payroll preview against the prior cycle's gross-to-net (G2N) reports, approved source documents, and the payroll checklist, and recommend the payroll register for Controller approval.
• Partner with external payroll providers and EOR partners to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing.
• Manage payroll calendars across all countries and pay frequencies, and ensure all cut-off, approval, funding, and filing deadlines are met.
• Reconcile payroll reports, investigate variances against the prior cycle, and resolve discrepancies before payroll approval.
• Maintain payroll records and supporting documentation in accordance with company policies and local regulations.
• Prepare payroll journal entries and month-end payroll accruals and reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts to the approved payroll registers.
• Prepare and submit benefit contribution files to vendors (401(k), RPP, HSA/FSA, pensions) and reconcile them to payroll.
• Prepare payroll funding requests for each entity and pay cycle for Controller approval, and confirm funding ties to the approved register.
• Calculate and support intercompany payroll allocations and recharges between Zema entities.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure payroll compliance with applicable federal, state, provincial, and international employment and tax regulations.
• Oversee year-end payroll processes and statutory filings in every country, including W-2s, T4s/RL-1s, P60s/P11Ds, IR8As, and Form 16, and confirm filings made by Deel and providers are complete, accurate, and on time.
• Stay current on legislative changes impacting payroll, taxation, social security, pensions, statutory benefits, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate payroll audits and support internal and external audit requests.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and external advisors to mitigate payroll-related risks.
• Maintain clear segregation of duties so that no one person initiates, approves, and releases the same payroll change, in line with Zema's Payroll Governance RACI.

People Team Partnership

• Collaborate closely with the People Team to ensure employee lifecycle events, including new hires, promotions, terminations, bonuses, and commissions, are supported by approved source documents and processed accurately and on time.
• Support the implementation and maintenance of payroll-related policies and procedures.
• Provide payroll guidance and education to People Team partners and business leaders.

Payroll Data & Reporting

• Validate that compensation data entered in Deel by the People Team matches approved source documents before each payroll.
• Partner with People and Finance teams to ensure all data is accurately reflected in payroll systems.
• Support compensation review cycles by validating employee pay data and maintaining data integrity.
• Produce payroll cost reporting and analysis by entity and department to support Finance and FP&A.
• Produce payroll metrics, reports, and analyses for leadership and Finance stakeholders.

Process Improvement, Systems & AI

• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, and efficiencies.
• Use AI tools (such as Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and Deel's built-in AI features) to automate repetitive payroll work, including G2N variance reviews, payroll reconciliations, benefit upload files, and first drafts of SOPs and employee communications.
• Build and maintain reusable AI-assisted workflows and checklists so payroll reviews are consistent across countries and cycles, with human review and controls kept in place.
• Support payroll-related system enhancements and integrations.
• Develop and maintain payroll process documentation and standard operating procedures.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance accuracy, scalability, and employee experience.

Essential

What You'll Bring

• Hands-on ownership of recurring payroll across multiple countries, with practical knowledge of local payroll, tax and statutory requirements. The US, Canada, UK and India are our core markets.
• Experience managing concurrent payroll cycles and external providers, validating payroll outputs, investigating variances and resolving issues before approval.
• Experience building or materially improving payroll processes or controls, such as calendars, input validation, approval checklists or standard operating procedures.
• Hands-on experience with a major payroll platform integrated with an HRIS, plus strong Excel and payroll reporting skills and working knowledge of payroll journals, accruals and general ledger reconciliations.
• Clear, proactive communication with Finance, People teams, providers and employees, including setting deadlines, escalating risks and closing issues. Ability to overlap with North American working hours around US and Canadian payroll deadlines.

Desirable

• Experience across all four core markets, with particular value placed on hands-on US and Canadian payroll experience. Singapore and European EOR experience are also useful.
• Hands-on Deel experience and familiarity with NetSuite or a similar ERP.
• Experience using automation or AI to improve payroll checks, reporting or documentation, with human review.
• A recognised payroll qualification or equivalent, or experience supporting compensation review cycles.

Why Join Zema Global?

• Global Impact. Shape the future of energy, commodities, and financial markets through innovative technology.
• Innovation at Scale. Work with cutting-edge software, advanced analytics, and complex data that solve real-world challenges.
• Career Growth. Join a fast-growing global organization where your ideas, development, and career progression are valued.
• Exceptional People. Collaborate with talented colleagues and industry experts across North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Meaningful Ownership. Take ownership of your work, influence strategic initiatives, and make a measurable impact on our customers and business.
• One Global Team. Be part of a collaborative culture built on trust, respect, and our values: Think Big. Make It Happen. Win as One.

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Zema Global is committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of background or protected characteristic.