Payroll Manager

On Direct Marketing Services; Pune District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

On Direct Marketing Services in Pune, Maharashtra, India, seeks a hands-on Payroll Manager to own and run the complete monthly payroll in-house. You will ensure accurate payroll processing, statutory compliance, and timely salary payments, handling payroll inputs, reconciliations and reports.

The ideal candidate has 8–12 years of payroll experience, strong attention to detail, and proficiency with HRMS and advanced Excel.

Qualifications

• Independent payroll management in a corporate environment.
• Experience in statutory compliance and payroll accounting.
• Ability to own the payroll cycle and meet monthly deadlines.
• Strong Excel and HRMS proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Manage complete monthly payroll cycle end to end.
• Collect, validate and consolidate payroll inputs.
• Process payroll within defined timelines.
• Prepare salary registers, payroll summaries and reports.
• Handle full-and-final settlements for exiting employees.
• Ensure statutory compliance and submission of returns.
• Maintain payroll documentation and audits.

Skills

Payroll management

End-to-end payroll

In-house payroll

Statutory compliance

Payroll accounting

Advanced Excel

HRMS systems

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Tools

HRMS/Payroll software

Job description

We are looking for a hands-on Payroll Manager who has independently managed payroll within a corporate environment and has directly run payroll in-house rather than primarily managing an outsourced payroll provider.

The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in payroll processing, statutory compliance, payroll accounting, reconciliations and employee payroll management. This role requires someone who is highly detail-oriented, process-driven and comfortable taking complete ownership of the payroll cycle.

You will be responsible for ensuring that employees are paid accurately and on time every month, while maintaining complete compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

End-to-End Payroll Management

• Independently manage and execute the complete monthly payroll cycle from payroll inputs to final salary processing.
• Collect, validate and consolidate payroll inputs including attendance, leave, overtime, incentives, commissions, deductions, reimbursements, new joiners, exits, salary revisions and other employee movements.
• Process monthly payroll accurately within defined timelines.
• Prepare and validate salary registers, payroll summaries, variance reports and bank payment files.
• Conduct month-on-month payroll variance analysis and investigate discrepancies before payroll release.
• Ensure accurate calculation of gross salary, deductions, net pay, statutory contributions and other payroll components.
• Manage full-and-final settlements for exiting employees, including notice-period adjustments, leave encashment, recoveries and other applicable components.
• Process arrears, salary revisions, bonuses, incentives and one-time payments accurately.

Statutory Compliance

• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with applicable payroll-related statutory requirements.
• Manage payroll compliance relating to PF, ESIC, Professional Tax, TDS, Labour Welfare Fund and other applicable statutory deductions/contributions.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of statutory returns and challans.
• Reconcile statutory liabilities and payments with payroll records and accounting records.
• Stay updated on changes in payroll legislation, tax regulations and statutory requirements and implement necessary changes.
• Maintain complete documentation and records for statutory audits and inspections.

Payroll Accounting & Reconciliation

• Work closely with the Finance/Accounts team to ensure accurate payroll accounting and monthly payroll closure.
• Reconcile payroll with the general ledger and identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Prepare payroll accounting entries and supporting schedules.
• Reconcile salary payments, statutory deductions, employee advances, recoveries and other payroll-related balances.
• Support monthly, quarterly and annual financial audits with payroll-related information and documentation.

Employee Payroll Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for employees for payroll-related queries.
• Resolve salary discrepancies, deductions, tax-related queries, PF/ESIC issues and other payroll concerns promptly.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee compensation and personal information at all times.
• Provide salary statements, tax documents, employment-related payroll certificates and other required documents.
• Ensure a professional and responsive employee payroll experience.

Payroll Systems & Process Improvement

• Manage and maintain payroll data within the HRMS/payroll system.
• Ensure employee master data is accurate and updated on a timely basis.
• Establish strong payroll controls, checklists and approval mechanisms to minimise errors.
• Identify opportunities to automate and streamline payroll processes.
• Develop and maintain payroll SOPs and documentation.
• Conduct periodic audits of payroll data and processes to identify gaps and risks.
• Ensure payroll records are maintained systematically and are readily available for audits.

Team & Stakeholder Management

• Lead and manage the payroll team, ensuring clear ownership and accountability.
• Coordinate closely with HR, Finance, Operations and management for timely payroll inputs and approvals.
• Establish and enforce payroll cut-off timelines.
• Ensure strict adherence to payroll calendars and internal controls.
• Provide payroll MIS and management reports as required.

Key Deliverables

• 100% accurate and timely monthly payroll processing
• Timely statutory payments and filings
• Accurate payroll reconciliations
• Zero/minimal payroll errors and repeat discrepancies
• Timely Full & Final settlements
• Accurate payroll accounting and month-end closure
• Strong payroll documentation and audit readiness
• Prompt resolution of employee payroll queries
• Continuous improvement and automation of payroll processes

What We Are Looking For

• 8–12 years of relevant experience in payroll management, preferably within a mid-sized or large corporate organisation.
• Strong experience in directly running end-to-end payroll in-house.
• Candidates whose primary experience has been limited to coordinating with outsourced payroll vendors will not be suitable for this role.
• Strong understanding of Indian payroll processes and statutory compliance.
• Hands-on experience with PF, ESIC, Professional Tax, TDS, Labour Welfare Fund and other applicable payroll compliances.
• Experience managing payroll for a sizeable employee population with multiple salary components.
• Strong understanding of payroll accounting and reconciliation.
• Experience with HRMS/payroll systems and advanced Excel.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to identify discrepancies.
• Strong problem-solving and organisational skills.
• Ability to work under strict monthly deadlines.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• High level of integrity and confidentiality when handling sensitive compensation information.