Advisory – FAAS Global Payroll Solutions - Implementation Manager – Dublin/Cork

Grant Thornton; Cork; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Grant Thornton Ireland is seeking an Implementation Manager to lead complex client implementations, transformation projects and payroll service transitions within our Global Payroll Solutions team. You will coordinate cross‑border stakeholders and ensure delivery of high‑quality payroll services in a fast‑paced, client‑facing environment.

The role is split roughly 60% on implementing projects and 40% on managed services.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing complex implementations, transformation initiatives or operational projects within a client-facing environment.
• At least 5 years experience in similar role.
• Exceptional organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, clients and competing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement and issue resolution.
• Strong experience leading meetings, facilitating workshops, managing expectations and ensuring actions are completed.
• Demonstrated people management experience, including team leadership, coaching and performance development.
• Strong client relationship management skills, with the confidence to engage and influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience working in international or multi-country environments, coordinating cross-functional teams and external providers.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and experience using project management tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end client implementations, payroll transitions and transformation projects, from initial planning through testing, go-live and stabilisation.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring governance, resource allocation, risk management, budget oversight and timely delivery.
• Develop and maintain project plans, milestones, action trackers, status reports and stakeholder communications.
• Coordinate internal teams, international Grant Thornton member firms, clients and third-party providers across multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead project meetings, workshops and steering committees, ensuring clear decisions, accountability and follow-up.
• Proactively identify risks, dependencies and potential delays, driving timely resolution and escalation.
• Support technology implementations, integrations, automation and process improvement initiatives.
• Provide management oversight of global payroll managed services engagements, ensuring delivery against service levels and client expectations.
• Act as a senior escalation point for operational, technical and cross-border issues.
• Monitor service performance, internal controls and compliance requirements.
• Lead client service reviews and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders.
• Ensure smooth transitions from implementation into business-as-usual operations, including documentation and knowledge transfer.
• Support service improvements, client retention and opportunities for business growth.

Skills

Strong communication

People leadership

Stakeholder management

Project management

Organisational skills

Multi-country coordination

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Project management tools

Job description

The Opportunity

Grant Thornton Ireland is seeking a highly organised, proactive and experienced Implementation Manager to join our Global Payroll Solutions team.

The successful candidate will lead complex client implementations, transformation projects and service transitions while supporting the delivery of high-quality global payroll managed services.

This role goes beyond traditional payroll implementation, covering technology deployments, system integrations, process improvements, automation and broader transformation initiatives.

We are looking for a strong communicator and confident leader who can manage multiple projects, coordinate international stakeholders, drive accountability and ensure successful delivery in a fast‑paced, client‑focused environment.

The role will be split approximately 60% Implementation & Projects and 40% Managed Services.

Key Responsibilities

Implementation and Project Management (60%)

• Lead end-to-end client implementations, payroll transitions and transformation projects, from initial planning and requirements gathering through testing, go-live and stabilisation.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring effective governance, resource allocation, risk management, budget oversight and timely delivery.
• Develop and maintain project plans, milestones, action trackers, status reports and stakeholder communications.
• Coordinate internal teams, international Grant Thornton member firms, clients and third‑party providers across multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead project meetings, workshops and steering committees, ensuring clear decisions, accountability and follow‑up.
• Proactively identify risks, dependencies and potential delays, driving timely resolution and escalation.
• Support technology implementations, integrations, automation and process improvement initiatives.

Managed Services and Client Delivery (40%)

• Provide management oversight of global payroll managed services engagements, ensuring delivery against agreed service levels, quality standards and client expectations.
• Act as a senior escalation point for operational, technical and cross‑border issues.
• Monitor service performance, operational risks, internal controls and compliance requirements.
• Lead client service reviews and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders.
• Ensure smooth transitions from implementation into business‑as‑usual operations, including documentation, knowledge transfer and governance.
• Support service improvements, client retention and opportunities for business growth.

People Leadership and Stakeholder Management

• Lead, coach and develop multidisciplinary project and service delivery teams.
• Manage workloads, team priorities, capacity planning and quality of deliverables.
• Build trusted relationships with clients, senior stakeholders, external providers and international colleagues.
• Deliver presentations, workshops, project updates and client training sessions.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management and team development.
• Contribute to business development activities, including proposals, RFP responses and commercial scoping.

Skills and Experience

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience managing complex implementations, transformation initiatives or operational projects within a client‑facing environment.
• At least 5 years experience in similar role.
• Exceptional organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, clients and competing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement and issue resolution.
• Strong experience leading meetings, facilitating workshops, managing expectations and ensuring actions are completed.
• Demonstrated people management experience, including team leadership, coaching and performance development.
• Strong client relationship management skills, with the confidence to engage and influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience working in international or multi‑country environments, coordinating cross‑functional teams and external providers.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and experience using project management tools.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience in global payroll, managed services, HR operations or international service delivery.
• A recognised project management or payroll qualification, such as PRINCE2, PMP, Agile or IPASS.
• Experience with payroll or HR technology platforms, system integrations, automation and process improvements.
• Knowledge of Payzaar or similar global payroll platforms.
• Understanding of international payroll processes, statutory reporting, payroll journals and operational controls.
• Experience supporting proposals, RFPs, commercial scoping and client onboarding.
• Previous experience within professional services, consulting or multinational organisations.

What Success Looks Like

• Project Delivery: Successfully delivering complex implementations and transformation projects on time, with clear governance and accountability.
• Client Experience: Building trusted client relationships through proactive communication and effective issue resolution.
• People Leadership: Developing high‑performing teams through coaching, collaboration and clear direction.
• Operational Excellence: Ensuring seamless transitions into managed services while maintaining quality and strong operational controls.
• Continuous Improvement: Identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, automate processes and enhance service delivery.

#LI‑RS

About Us

We are Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton Ireland is rapidly approaching 3,000 people, in 9 offices across Ireland, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Bermuda. With a presence in over 149 countries around the world and a global network of 73,000 people, we bring our clients the local knowledge, national expertise and global presence to help them succeed – wherever they’re located.

At GT, we work as trusted advisors, bringing local knowledge and national expertise, with a global presence, to help businesses succeed – wherever they are located. We make business more personal by investing in building relationships and empowering our clients to make the right decisions for their organisation now and for the future. Whether that is working with the public sector to build thriving communities, with regulators and financial institutions to build trust, or with a diverse range of businesses to help them achieve their goals, Grant Thornton Ireland work hard to support clients to act on the issues that matter.

At GT Ireland we don’t just predict your future, we build it.

A Career at GT

Looking for a more fulfilling role in professional services? One where fresh thinking, collaboration and diversity are valued? At Grant Thornton we do things differently.

What does this mean for you?

A career in a more inclusive working environment, a more collaborative work culture, a more supported, flexible working role, more possibilities to grow and more opportunities to help shape the future for your clients. We respect and value your experience. And we want you to bring your authentic self to work and be at your best. It is how it should be.

Grow with us

At Grant Thornton, we care about our people and work hard to make you feel valued. If you are looking to deepen and develop your skills, knowledge, and experience throughout your career, then that is what you will get, and more.

Our Benefits

Please follow this link (https://www.grantthornton.ie/careers/benefits/#faq_5953339_3) for information on our generous benefits package.

About the Team

Equity, diversity and inclusion

At Grant Thornton, we provide equitable opportunities for all our colleagues. We are a responsible, sustainable business where equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is at the forefront of our workplace culture agenda, and today, we continue to build and develop on our existing ED&I structure and strategy to meet our workplace culture needs. People are at the heart of our business and teams built with varied individuals present diverse viewpoints, which need to be heard and valued.

We are all at our best when we are able to be ourselves and we view integrity and authenticity as integral values to bring to our day‑to‑day work‑life at the firm. We are excited to see the personality and perspectives you will bring to our team because we know we will all benefit from them. Diversity of thought, background and experience enables better decision‑making, improves the quality of our delivery, and helps us to meet the needs of our clients. Our firm is built on people and their ideas, so we want to hear all the new perspectives and fresh thinking you have to offer. You form the bedrock of our firm’s best‑practice principles and we will champion you as leaders from day one.

Reward and benefits

Our reward and benefits are designed to create an environment where our people can flourish. We are committed to building a culture where our people have access to the necessary benefits to help promote a healthy lifestyle and thrive.

Recognition

We want to create a culture of recognition and celebrating success, by saying thank you to people who surpass our expectations and recognising the right values and behaviours. Our Shout Out recognition scheme is our way of highlighting and promoting achievements. Whether you simply want to say thank you, celebrate a special occasion or give an award for doing something exceptional, you can do all of this and more through the scheme.