Senior Payroll Analyst

Cornerstone Research; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornerstone is seeking a Senior Payroll Analyst to support end-to-end payroll operations for India and APAC from our Hyderabad office. The role ensures accurate payroll processing, compliance with local statutory requirements, and collaboration with HR, Finance and external vendors across a diverse regional environment.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years of multi-country APAC payroll experience, strong Excel skills, and excellent communication in English.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, HR, business administration or related field.
• 5+ years of payroll experience, including multi-country APAC processing.
• Strong understanding of payroll regulations, taxation and statutory requirements across APAC countries.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for India and other APAC countries, including inputs, hires, terminations, changes, bonuses, deductions, and benefits.
• Validate payroll outputs for compliance and accuracy before approval.
• Manage payroll bank file creation and secure processing across countries.
• Review variance, tax and reconciliation reports to resolve discrepancies.
• Ensure timely payment of statutory liabilities (PF, ESIC, PT, tax, etc.).
• Collaborate with vendors, HR, finance and stakeholders to resolve issues and improve service delivery.
• Act as escalation point for payroll queries, taxation and compliance.
• Develop and improve payroll SOPs, checklists and governance controls.

Skills

Excel

Analytical skills

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

Activ8

Job description

We're looking for a

Senior Payroll Analyst

Office Based,Hyderabad Office

Senior Payroll Analyst, APAC

Location: India

Department: Global Payroll

Reports To: Senior Manager, Payroll

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Senior Payroll Analyst to support the delivery of accurate and compliant payroll operations across the APAC region. This role is responsible for the end-to-end processing, validation, reconciliation, and governance of payrolls across multiple countries, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining compliance with local statutory and company requirements.

The ideal candidate will have strong multi-country payroll experience, exceptional analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with Human Resources, Finance, Tax, external payroll vendors, and employees across a diverse regional environment.

This role offers the opportunity to be a key contributor to a growing global payroll organization while supporting employees across the APAC region with accurate, compliant, and customer-focused payroll services.

In this role you will...

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for India and other APAC assigned countries, including payroll inputs, new hires, terminations, compensation changes, bonuses, commissions, allowances, deductions, and benefits. Support off-cycle payrolls, supplemental payments, and payroll corrections as needed. Validation, payroll execution, statutory compliance, reconciliations, and vendor coordination.
• Serve as the payroll reviewer for assigned international payrolls (currently supporting up to eight countries), validating payroll outputs, legislative compliance, calculations, and adherence to company policies before payroll approval.
• Own the preparation, validation, approval coordination, and secure processing of payroll bank payment files across all supported countries, ensuring payment accuracy and compliance with internal financial controls.
• Review payroll variance reports, reconciliation reports, tax reports, and payroll outputs to proactively identify and resolve discrepancies before payroll sign-off.
• Validate and ensure timely payment of statutory liabilities including PF, ESIC, PT, LWF, Income Tax, and other statutory obligations.
• Partner with payroll vendors, HR, Finance, HRIS, and business stakeholders to resolve complex payroll issues and improve service delivery.
• Act as the primary escalation point for payroll-related queries, statutory matters, taxation, and payroll compliance.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve payroll SOPs, review checklists, process documentation, and governance controls to strengthen business continuity.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual payroll activities, improve operational controls, and drive process standardization across global payroll operations.
• Support internal and external payroll audits by ensuring complete documentation and compliance with audit requirements.
• Coach and cross-train payroll team members, ensuring adequate backup coverage and reducing key-person dependency.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required to support business objectives.

Reporting & Reconciliations

Prepare and analyze payroll reports, reconciliations, and payroll-related metrics.

Reconcile payroll registers, general ledger entries, tax filings, and benefit deductions.

Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies in a timely manner.

Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end payroll activities.

Employee Support

Respond to payroll inquiries from employees, managers, and HR partners.

Research and resolve complex payroll issues while providing excellent customer service.

Educate employees and stakeholders on payroll processes, policies, and compliance requirements.

You’ve got what it takes if you have…

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.

5+ years of payroll experience, including multi-country APAC payroll processing.

Strong understanding of payroll regulations, taxation, and statutory requirements across APAC countries.

Experience working with outsourced payroll providers.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.

Experience with global payroll systems such as Activ8 or similar platforms.

Strong analytical, problem-solving, and reconciliation skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict payroll deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting payrolls in countries such as India, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

Experience in a multinational organization with global payroll operations.

Knowledge of payroll accounting and general ledger reconciliations.

Experience with SOX controls and audit requirements.

Continuous improvement of payroll processes and operational efficiency.

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