Lead Administrator - Payroll

CSS; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

CSS is seeking an experienced Payroll Lead Administrator, EMEA, to oversee regional payroll operations within the Global Payroll COE. You will drive compliant, timely payroll processing across multiple countries and coordinate with HR, Finance, and legal teams to ensure accurate payroll outcomes and strong controls.

The role requires deep knowledge of EMEA regulations, audit readiness, and the ability to lead regional initiatives, including system integrations and process improvements, in a

Qualifications

• 8+ years progressive payroll experience across multiple countries.
• Experience leading payroll operations in large, multi-country organizations, preferably in EMEA.
• Strong knowledge of EMEA payroll laws, tax, social security, and country-specific practices.
• Experience with payroll systems such as ADP Celergo or similar platforms.
• Proven ability to manage audits, controls, and vendor governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead EMEA payroll operations as part of the Global Payroll COE team, ensuring regional alignment with global strategy and governance.
• Oversee accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across countries in scope.
• Translate COE policies into regional execution including compliance activities.
• Identify regional improvement opportunities and drive automation and standardization.
• Manage regional payroll vendor relationships and monitor performance.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, Legal, Tax, Benefits, and regional leaders to support systems, data quality, and processes.
• Support audit readiness by maintaining regional control evidence and timely responses to requests.
• Lead payroll service delivery with clear communication across languages and time zones.

Skills

EMEA payroll expertise

Cross-country leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Vendor governance

ADP Celergo

Tools

ADP Celergo

Job description

The Payroll Lead Administrator, EMEA, leads regional payroll operations and manages the effective and efficient execution of the payroll function across the EMEA region as part of the Global Payroll Center of Excellence (COE) team. The Regional Payroll Lead, EMEA is responsible for aligning regional execution with Global Payroll COE strategy, policies, procedures, systems, controls, vendor expectations, and service delivery standards to ensure accurate, compliant, and timely processing of payrolls across the countries in scope. The Regional Payroll Lead, EMEA, directs regional analysis, issue resolution, process improvement, audit readiness, and vendor coordination in partnership with the Global Payroll COE to deliver high-quality payroll service to the organization and an exceptional employee experience across different languages, cultures, countries, and global time zones.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead EMEA payroll operations as part of the Global Payroll COE team, ensuring regional execution remains aligned with global payroll strategy, operating models, governance, and priorities.
• Oversee accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across the countries in scope while maintaining adherence to defined payroll processes, systems, controls, and approval requirements.
• Translate Global Payroll COE policies, procedures, standards, and governance expectations into regional execution, including documentation, governance routines, local statutory requirements, and country-specific compliance activities.
• Identify regional process, control, compliance, and service delivery improvement opportunities and direct the analysis and execution required to support continuous improvement, automation, and standardization.
• Manage regional payroll vendor relationships, monitor vendor performance, support service-level expectations, resolve day-to-day issues, and *escalate* material risks or service concerns.
• Partner closely with the Global Payroll COE, HR Systems, HR Operations, Finance, Legal, Tax, Benefits, regional leaders, and providers to support payroll systems, reporting, integrations, data quality, cross-functional payroll processes, and globally aligned decision-making.
• Support audit readiness by maintaining regional control evidence, coordinating timely responses to audit and compliance requests, and identifying where controls or procedures require updates.
• Lead regional payroll service delivery by ensuring employee inquiries and payroll issues are handled accurately, consistently, and with clear communication across different languages, cultures, and time zones.
• Support enterprise and Global Payroll COE initiatives, including system implementations, payroll integrations, acquisitions, regional operating model changes, and other projects that increase payroll complexity across countries.
• Maintain regional focus on data privacy and security by ensuring payroll practices, documentation, provider processes, and issue resolution activities align with company expectations and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Maintain clear communication, analytical judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex, fast-paced, multi-country environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive payroll experience, including experience supporting or leading payroll operations across multiple countries or regions.
• Experience managing regional payroll operations in a large, complex, multi-country organization, preferably within the EMEA region.
• Strong knowledge of EMEA payroll laws, statutory requirements, tax, social security, pensions, compliance obligations, and country-specific payroll practices.
• Experience working with payroll systems and outsourced payroll providers; experience with systems such as ADP Celergo, or similar platforms preferred.
• Experience supporting payroll process and systems controls, audit requests, reconciliations, vendor governance, and compliance activities.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills, including the ability to set direction within the Global Payroll COE framework, influence partners, and support employees across different countries, languages, cultures, and time zones.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, including the ability to assess complex regional payroll issues and recommend practical, compliant solutions.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment while managing multiple priorities, deadlines, vendors, stakeholders, and payroll cycles across the region.