Payroll Manager

PassFort; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Moody's is seeking a strategic Payroll Controller to lead governance and compliance across APAC and EMEA. You will drive operational improvements, manage vendor relationships, and deliver accurate reporting while ensuring regulatory alignment.

Strong analytical and cross‑functional collaboration skills are essential. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree and experience with global payroll systems; AI-powered tooling and transformation projects are a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field.
• Relevant payroll, finance, or compliance certifications preferred.
• Experience in a multinational payroll environment.
• Strong knowledge of payroll governance and controls.
• Excellent analytical and risk management skills.
• Proven vendor governance experience.
• Ability to manage cross-cultural, cross-time zone projects.
• Experience with AI-powered payroll tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Drive payroll excellence across APAC and EMEA by leading governance, compliance, operational improvements, vendor management, reporting, and strategic payroll initiatives that support business objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee payroll governance activities across APAC and EMEA, ensuring compliance with local statutory requirements, company policies, and global payroll standards.
• Monitor legislative, tax, social security, and employment law changes and coordinate implementation of required updates with internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate payroll compliance and operational risks through robust controls and governance frameworks.
• Support internal and external audits, compliance reviews, regulatory inquiries, and statutory reporting requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement, automation, and digital transformation initiatives to enhance payroll efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and employee experience.
• Drive process standardization and maintain payroll policies, procedures, control frameworks, and standard operating documentation across the region.
• Lead and support payroll projects, including system implementations, transformations, integrations, acquisitions, reorganizations, and regulatory initiatives.
• Manage relationships with payroll providers, conduct vendor performance reviews, and ensure service delivery meets business and compliance expectations.
• Serve as a key liaison between Payroll and stakeholders across People, Finance, Tax, Legal, Benefits, Technology, and external advisors.
• Develop and maintain payroll reporting, dashboards, KPIs, and management insights to measure performance, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
• Analyse payroll data and trends to identify risks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities while supporting audit readiness and governance activities.
• Partner with Payroll leadership to support payroll strategy, governance priorities, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Provide regional payroll subject matter expertise across compliance, controls, reporting, and payroll best practices.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Payroll governance

Tax regulations

AI in payroll

Vendor governance

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Multinational payroll

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/HR

Payroll/compliance certifications preferred

Tools

Workday

SAP SuccessFactors

Job description

At Moody's, we unite the brightest minds to turn today’s risks into tomorrow’s opportunities. We do this by striving to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome to be who they are—with the freedom to exchange ideas, think innovatively, and listen to each other and customers in meaningful ways. Moody’s is transforming how the world sees risk. As a global leader in ratings and integrated risk assessment, we’re advancing AI to move from insight to action—enabling intelligence that not only understands complexity but responds to it. We decode risk to unlock opportunity, helping our clients navigate uncertainty with clarity, speed, and confidence.

We are seeking candidates who model our values: invest in every relationship, lead with curiosity, champion diverse perspectives, turn inputs into actions, and uphold trust through integrity.

Skills And Competencies

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, pivot tables, and multi-currency reconciliation


• Strong working knowledge of payroll and tax regulations, with broad familiarity of statutory payroll requirements across APAC and EMEA


• Proven experience in payroll governance, compliance, controls, risk management, and audit readiness within a multinational environment


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risks, control gaps, and process improvement opportunities


• Experience managing global payroll providers and maintaining effective vendor governance and stakeholder relationships


• Ability to manage multiple priorities, country-specific deadlines, and complex projects independently in a fast-paced environment


• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across cultures, time zones, and cross-functional teams


• Demonstrated proficiency in artificial intelligence concepts, with hands‑on experience using AI tools to streamline workflows and enhance operational efficiency. Proven ability to implement AI-powered solutions to solve business challenges. Demonstrates a growing awareness of AI risk management and a commitment to responsible and ethical AI use.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience


• Relevant payroll, finance, or compliance-related certifications are preferred

Responsibilities

Drive payroll excellence across APAC and EMEA by leading governance, compliance, operational improvements, vendor management, reporting, and strategic payroll initiatives that support business objectives and regulatory requirements.

• Oversee payroll governance activities across APAC and EMEA, ensuring compliance with local statutory requirements, company policies, and global payroll standards


• Monitor legislative, tax, social security, and employment law changes and coordinate implementation of required updates with internal and external stakeholders


• Identify, assess, and mitigate payroll compliance and operational risks through robust controls and governance frameworks


• Support internal and external audits, compliance reviews, regulatory inquiries, and statutory reporting requirements


• Lead continuous improvement, automation, and digital transformation initiatives to enhance payroll efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and employee experience


• Drive process standardization and maintain payroll policies, procedures, control frameworks, and standard operating documentation across the region


• Lead and support payroll projects, including system implementations, transformations, integrations, acquisitions, reorganizations, and regulatory initiatives


• Manage relationships with payroll providers, conduct vendor performance reviews, and ensure service delivery meets business and compliance expectations


• Serve as a key liaison between Payroll and stakeholders across People, Finance, Tax, Legal, Benefits, Technology, and external advisors


• Develop and maintain payroll reporting, dashboards, KPIs, and management insights to measure performance, compliance, and operational effectiveness


• Analyse payroll data and trends to identify risks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities while supporting audit readiness and governance activities


• Partner with Payroll leadership to support payroll strategy, governance priorities, and operational improvement initiatives


• Provide regional payroll subject matter expertise across compliance, controls, reporting, and payroll best practices

About The Team

Our Global Payroll team is responsible for delivering accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll services to employees across multiple jurisdictions worldwide. The team partners closely with People, Finance, Tax, Legal, Benefits, and Technology functions to ensure strong governance, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance. By joining our team, you will contribute to strategic payroll initiatives, process transformation, and continuous improvement efforts that support a growing global workforce while embracing innovative technologies and responsible AI adoption.

Moody’s is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.

Candidates for Moody's Corporation may be asked to disclose securities holdings pursuant to Moody’s Policy for Securities Trading and the requirements of the position. Employment is contingent upon compliance with the Policy, including remediation of positions in those holdings as necessary.