Senior Payroll Specialist - LATAM

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.; Ciudad de México; On-site; MXN 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. is seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to manage end-to-end payroll for a Latin American portfolio, including multiple markets. The role requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills, confidentiality, and collaboration with HR, Finance, and external providers.

Fluency in English is expected, with additional languages a plus. This is an on-site position based in Mexico City.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in HR, Finance, or related field.
• Typically 3–5 years of payroll experience in regional or international operations.
• Experience with outsourced payroll providers and strong data confidentiality.
• Experience supporting end-to-end payroll across Latin American markets desirable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate end-to-end payroll activities for an assigned portfolio across systems and providers.
• Validate earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, time data, and employee changes.
• Perform reconciliations, controls, off-cycle and year-end support with audit-ready records.
• Investigate issues, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Payroll COE, HR, Finance and other stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Utilize approved digital and automation tools with human validation; support system changes.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Prioritization

Service orientation

End-to-end payroll knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/Finance/Accounting or related field

Payroll certification (advantageous)

Tools

Workday

ADP

SAP Payroll

ServiceNow

Job description

Job Description

Objective / Purpose:

The Senior Payroll Specialist is a senior professional role responsible for supporting payroll operations across an assigned payroll portfolio with greater independence and complexity. The role is accountable for end-to-end payroll operations across an assigned portfolio of Latin American markets, which may include Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, and Panama, subject to evolving business needs. This role manages complex transactions, performs deeper validations and reconciliations, resolves operational issues, supports projects and change activities, and provides day-to-day technical guidance to colleagues. The role contributes to accurate, timely, compliant, and employee-focused payroll delivery while helping improve process quality and resilience. It covers an assigned regional, multi-entity, or multi-market payroll portfolio, with no budget ownership and no direct reports.

Accountabilities:

• Coordinate end-to-end payroll activities through approved systems and external providers for an assigned portfolio.
• Validate complex earnings, deductions, taxes, statutory contributions, benefits, equity-related transactions, time data, and employee changes.
• Perform reconciliations, controls, corrections, off-cycle transactions, and year-end support with increased independence, and prepare and maintain audit-ready evidence, documentation, and process records.
• Investigate complex issues, identify root causes, implement corrective actions within authority, and escal
• Serve as an operational contact for payroll providers, and partner with Payroll COE, HR, Finance, Total Rewards, Mobility, Technology, Risk, Audit, and other stakeholders to resolve issues, support service quality, and ensure follow-through.
• Use approved digital, AI, and automation tools responsibly with human review and validation, and support system changes, testing, transitions, implementations, and process updates related to payroll and connected processes.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and automate recurring work and reduce manual effort or recurring errors, and provide day-to-day guidance, peer coaching, and knowledge sharing to colleagues.

Education & Competencies (Technical and Behavioral):

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in HR, Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; payroll certification is advantageous.
• Typically 3–5 years of payroll experience, ideally in regional, multi-entity, or international operations.
• No direct reports; the role provides day-to-day guidance, peer coaching, and knowledge sharing rather than formal people management.

• Experience supporting end-to-end payroll delivery across a portfolio of Latin American markets is desirable, particularly in markets such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, and Panama.

• Strong knowledge of payroll operations, controls, reconciliations, documentation, tax and statutory support, and confidentiality, with experience of outsourced payroll providers and confidence working with payroll data, reports, and structured datasets. Experience with payroll systems and digital tools such as Workday, ADP, SAP Payroll, ServiceNow, or equivalent is desirable. Fluent English; additional relevant languages are desirable.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, service, prioritization, and communication skills, with sound judgment in more complex payroll situations. Demonstrates accountability, collaboration, inclusion, curiosity, and openness to change.

Locations

MEX - Santa Fe

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time