Associate Manager Payroll

The Chartered Institute Of Management Accountants; Selangor; Hybrid; MYR 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading accounting association in Malaysia is seeking a Payroll Operations Manager to oversee payroll processes. The role requires over 5 years of experience in payroll, team leadership, and familiarity with payroll vendors. The successful candidate will ensure regulatory compliance, manage daily operations, and lead a team of specialists. This position offers flexibility with a hybrid working model and a comprehensive benefits package that supports employee wellbeing and continuous development.

Benefits

Healthcare

Retirement

Annual leave

Parental leave

Employee assistance program

Qualifications

• 5+ years of related payroll experience, with exposure to regional/global payroll.
• Prior experience leading or supervising payroll teams.
• Experience working with payroll vendors.

Responsibilities

• Manage payroll operations of a range of global regions.
• Ensure compliance with payroll tax, pension, and other deductions.
• Review monitoring reports and reconciliations for accuracy.

Skills

Payroll operations management

Regulatory compliance

Team leadership

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent

Tools

ADP

TMF

Job description

Overview

You will lead the Association's payroll operations, accurate processing and recording of payroll and safeguarding of cash assets and confidential information. You will report to the Senior Manager - Payroll and line manage up to 4 more colleagues. This role is hybrid remote/in-office.

Responsibilities

• Manage payroll operations of a range of global regions. Ensure execution of tasks according to agreed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Collaborate with Human Resources and Corporate/Regional finance teams.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory obligations about payroll tax, pension and other deductions/submissions in close partnership with corporate/regional HR/Finance teams.
• Review monitoring reports and reconciliations before payroll transmission to ensure accuracy of payroll. Maintain payroll controls, including pre-pay and post-pay validations, funding checks, and reconciliations.
• Manage accurate year-end reporting, tax, pension and statutory compliance.
• Review payroll calendars, cut-off timelines, and paydays; perform year-on-year validation.
• Complete the annual workers' compensation audit.
• Manage payments related to agency temporary staff invoices and payroll processing fees.
• Support the daily relationships with the payroll vendors, coordinate with HR, C&B, Tax, Legal, Finance, AP, and IT on payroll-related matters.
• Be the main contact for complex payroll issues, employee queries, and payroll exceptions. Respond to requests for information, such as salary verification requests from employees and external parties as approved by line manager.
• Help manage the payroll-related Service Level Agreement to ensure effectiveness and quality of deliverables.
• Identify process improvements to enhance effectiveness.
• Lead discussions on process changes, system enhancements, and payroll transformations.
• Support testing on the technology that relates to payroll system and other Association's initiatives or projects relating to payroll.
• Support provision of the relevant information when requested by internal or external auditors.
• Review the control framework of the payroll function, identify risks and then escalated to the line manager to help reduce.
• Develop ad hoc financial and operational reporting.
• Provide daily leadership, coaching, and performance management to payroll specialists.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of related payroll experience, with exposure to regional/global payroll.
• Prior experience leading or supervising payroll teams.
• Experience working with payroll vendors (e.g., ADP, TMF, and local providers).
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Benefits

We provide flexibility to help you achieve a good work‑life balance. You'll be part of a global, diverse team who foster an environment of inclusion and belonging where you are valued for who you are and where you come from.

We offer benefit options in and out of the workplace, including healthcare, retirement, annual leave, parental leave, an employee assistance program. We care about our employees' welfare and focus our benefits package on the benefits which support your wellbeing. We also recognize that everyone has different priorities, so in addition to our core benefits to support your health we offer flexible options for you to choose benefits that are right for you, your family and your lifestyle.

We believe in non‑stop learning and are committed to investing in learning opportunities that help you reach your full potential and support your continued development.

About Us

At The Association, a Great Place to Work‑Certified company, we are transforming the accounting and finance profession. We are future‑focused, empowering the world's most accomplished accountants to stay relevant, meet today's demands, and prepare for tomorrow's challenges through quality education, resources, and training.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.