Senior Payroll Specialist

Diageo; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Diageo is seeking a Senior Specialist to own the operational payroll lifecycle for assigned EMEA markets from Bangalore. You will coordinate with HR Ops, Reward, Finance, and outsourced payroll partners to ensure inputs are accurate and employees are paid on time.

You will lead payroll governance, compliance, and continuous improvement, handling complex scenarios like new hires, terminations, bonuses, expatriate payroll, and statutory corrections, while supporting audits and transformation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Finance, Business Administration or related field.
• 5–8 years of experience leading multi-country payroll operations across EMEA.
• Experience in an outsourced payroll operating model.
• Strong knowledge of payroll operations, statutory legislation and payroll controls.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll operations for assigned EMEA payrolls, meeting service levels.
• Validate payroll inputs for completeness, accuracy and compliance with internal policies.
• Coordinate payroll processing with outsourced providers and respond to queries.
• Perform payroll validation and reconciliation across the lifecycle.
• Prepare payroll reports and support audits and governance.

Skills

Payroll ops

Multi-country payroll

Payroll validation

Payroll reporting

Automation

Vendor management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Workday

ServiceNow

Job description

Job Description : About the Function:

Global Business Operations keeps our business moving, connecting markets, streamlining processes and keeping everything running smoothly at scale. With teams across Bangalore, Budapest, Bogotá, Gurugram, and Manila, GBO delivers the essential services that support our day-to-day performance, from finance to operations and beyond. It’s a truly global environment, where collaboration across time zones and cultures is part of everyday life. You’ll gain exposure to different markets, build skills for the future and develop a broad understanding of how a business operates at scale. It’s a great place to learn, grow and see the bigger picture.

About the role:

The Senior Specialist is responsible for the operational ownership of assigned EMEA payrolls throughout the complete payroll lifecycle. The role partners closely with HR Operations, First Point, Reward, Finance, Employment Tax, Treasury, Global Mobility and outsourced payroll providers to ensure payroll inputs are accurate, payroll outputs are validated, statutory obligations are met, and employees are paid accurately and on time. The role combines deep payroll expertise with operational ownership, ensuring payroll governance, compliance, and an excellent employee experience while supporting continuous improvement and payroll transformation initiatives.

Dimensions Financial

Responsible for payroll operations supporting multiple EMEA countries. Ensures accurate salary, bonus and statutory payments. Performs payroll reconciliations and financial validations. Supports payroll journals, funding validation and financial reporting. Supports internal and external audits.

Geographic Complexity

Responsible for payroll operations across multiple EMEA countries covering different:

• Payroll legislation
• Tax regulations
• Social Security requirements
• Collective agreements
• Payroll vendors
• Banking models
• Payroll calendars

Supports complex payroll scenarios including:

• New hires
• Terminations
• Bonus payments
• Equity payments
• Final settlements
• Leave of absence
• Expatriate payroll
• Off-cycle payments
• Statutory corrections

Relationships Partners closely with:

• Payroll Partners
• HR Operations
• First Point
• Reward
• Finance
• Treasury
• Employment Tax
• Global Mobility
• HR Directors
• Internal Audit
• External Auditors

Acts as the primary operational contact for assigned payrolls.

Purpose of Role

The Senior Specialist is responsible for delivering accurate, timely and compliant payroll operations across assigned EMEA markets through Diageo's outsourced payroll operating model. The role leads the complete payroll lifecycle from payroll input collection through payroll validation, payroll partner management, payroll output reconciliation, payment processing and post-payroll activities. The Senior Specialist works closely with upstream business functions and outsourced payroll providers to ensure payroll inputs are complete and accurate, payroll outputs are fully reconciled, payroll controls are implemented effectively, and all payroll activities are completed within agreed service levels. The role also supports operational excellence through continuous improvement, audit readiness, compliance and payroll transformation initiatives.

Key Accountabilities

1. Own end-to-end payroll operations for assigned EMEA payrolls. Implement payroll activities throughout the complete payroll cycle. Ensure payroll calendars and operational timelines are achieved. Coordinate payroll readiness activities with internal stakeholders and payroll partners.

2. Gather payroll inputs from HR Operations, First Point, Reward, Finance, Employment Tax, Treasury and Global Mobility. Validate payroll inputs for completeness, accuracy and compliance. Review new hires, exits, compensation changes, allowances, overtime, leave transactions, benefits and statutory inputs. Ensure payroll inputs are submitted to payroll partners within agreed timelines.

3. Coordinate payroll processing activities with outsourced payroll providers. Submit payroll input files and supporting documentation. Respond to payroll partner queries. Track payroll processing landmarks. Ensure vendor adherence to payroll calendars and agreed service levels.

4. Perform payroll validation activities throughout the payroll lifecycle, including:

   • Pre-Payroll Input validation
   • Headcount reconciliation
   • Master data validation
   • Payroll readiness checks
   • During Payroll Gross-to-net validation
   • Variance analysis
   • Exception management
   • Payroll quality checks
   • Post Payroll
   • Payroll output reconciliation
   • Payroll journals
   • Funding validation
   • Statutory reconciliation
   • Control completion
   • Payroll reporting

   Review and validate: Salary payments Bonus and incentive payments Final settlements Off-cycle payments Statutory deductions Tax calculations

5. Complete payroll controls in accordance with Diageo's governance framework. Complete payroll checklists and maker responsibilities. Maintain payroll documentation and audit evidence. Support internal and external audits. Ensure compliance with statutory requirements and internal policies.

6. Prepare salary payment files. Process salary and statutory payments. Validate banking information. Support payment approvals. Coordinate funding requirements with Treasury.

7. Resolve payroll-related employee queries. Manage payroll cases through ServiceNow. Partner with payroll vendors to resolve complex payroll issues. Ensure queries are resolved within agreed SLAs. Deliver a positive employee payroll experience.

8. Prepare payroll operational reports. Perform payroll variance analysis. Produce reconciliation reports. Support payroll KPI reporting. Analyse payroll trends and identify improvement opportunities.

9. Find opportunities to simplify payroll processes. Support automation initiatives. Improve payroll controls and operational efficiency. Update payroll SOPs and documentation. Participate in payroll transformation initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Finance, Business Administration, Accounting or related subject area.
• 5–8 years of experience leading multi-country payroll operations across EMEA.
• Experience working within an outsourced payroll operating model.
• Strong understanding of payroll operations, statutory legislation and payroll controls.
• Experience working with Workday, ServiceNow and payroll reporting tools.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience supporting payroll audits and regulatory compliance.

Skills & Capabilities

• Payroll Expertise
• Multi-country payroll operations
• Payroll input validation
• Payroll reconciliation
• Gross-to-Net review
• Payroll controls
• Payroll reporting
• Statutory compliance
• Vendor Management
• Payroll partner management
• SLA monitoring
• Issue resolution
• Payroll calendar management
• Operational Excellence
• Process improvement
• Automation
• Continuous improvement
• Data analysis
• Root Cause Analysis

Role Responsibilities

Experience / skills required:

Flexible Working Statement

Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you, so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.

Rewards & Benefits Statement

We recognise and value performance, offering our people a highly competitive Rewards and Benefits package including:

Diversity statement

Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this. We adopt diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, attitudes and more. Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to new heights and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.

Worker Type

Regular

Primary Location

Bangalore Karle Town SEZ

Additional Locations

Job Posting Start Date

2026-09-28

With over 200 brands sold in more than 180 countries, we’re the world’s leading premium drinks company. Every day, over 29,000 talented people come together at Diageo to create the magic behind our much-loved brands. From iconic names to innovative newcomers – the brands we’re building are rooted in culture and local communities. Our ambition is to be one of the best performing, most trusted and most respected consumer products companies in the world. Our founders, such as Arthur Guinness, John Walker, and Charles Tanqueray, were visionary entrepreneurs whose brilliant minds helped shape the alcohol industry. And through our people, their legacy lives on. Join us, and you’ll collaborate with talented people from all corners of the world. Together, you’ll innovate and push boundaries, shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future that we can all be proud of. With diversity at our core, we celebrate our people's unique passions, commitments and specialist skills. Because when varied voices, mindsets, and personalities come together, great ideas are born. In our supportive culture, your voice will be heard and you’ll be empowered to be you. Just bring your ambition, curiosity and ideas, and we’ll celebrate your work and help you reach your fullest potential.

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