Payroll Project Specialist (Contract)

Kerry; Kuala Lumpur; Hybrid; MYR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in taste and nutrition is seeking a Payroll Project Specialist in Kuala Lumpur. The role involves leading payroll automation initiatives across APMEA and Europe, ensuring effective implementation and collaboration with various teams. Key responsibilities include project planning, conducting data analysis, and providing training for automation tools. Candidates should have a relevant degree and 3+ years of payroll experience, with strong skills in data analysis and project management. This is a fixed-term contract role offering a hybrid workplace arrangement.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3+ years of progressive payroll experience within multinational or shared service environments.
• Demonstrated experience in payroll automation and process improvement projects.
• Strong understanding of regional labor laws and tax regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of payroll automation platforms across regions.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure successful deployment and training.
• Conduct data analysis to monitor payroll operations and compliance.

Skills

Payroll automation support

Process improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Proficiency in Excel

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Finance, Accounting or related field

Tools

SAP

SuccessFactors

ServiceNow

Kronos

Strada

Job description

Requisition ID: 62128
Position Type: FT Fixed Term
Workplace Arrangement: #LI-Hybrid

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

As a Payroll Project Specialist within our Global Business Centre, you will play a key role working with the Regional Payroll Manager in supporting the successful delivery of the payroll automation project across the APMEA and Europe region. Your focus will be on driving process improvements, supporting project activities, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the effective implementation and adoption of automation solutions.

You will contribute to project planning, execution, and monitoring, ensuring that project milestones are met and that automation objectives are achieved. By working closely with stakeholders, you will help identify opportunities for efficiency, support change management efforts, and provide training and guidance to end users.

This role is critical in driving operational excellence, cultivating a high-performance and customer-focused culture, and ensuring a seamless payroll experience for our employees. You will also be an active contributor to Kerry’s payroll transformation initiatives—identifying improvement opportunities, leveraging digital tools, and introducing automation to enhance efficiency and scalability.

Fixed Term Contract :12 months

Work Location : 1 Powerhouse ( 5 mins walk from Bandar Utama MRT Station)

Reporting to : Regional Payroll Lead

Key responsibilities

• Jointly led the implementation and integration of the payroll automation platform across the APMEA and Europe region, streamlining payroll processes and reducing manual intervention.
• Coordinated cross-functional teams to define requirements, map workflows, and ensure successful deployment of automation features.
• Support the planning, execution, and delivery of the payroll automation project, ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines.
• Collaborate with project managers, payroll specialists, IT, and other stakeholders to gather requirements, map current processes, and design optimized workflows for automation.
• Assist in the configuration, testing, and deployment of automation features, ensuring system accuracy, compliance, and data integrity.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives by identifying inefficiencies, proposing solutions, and supporting the implementation of best practices.
• Provide training, documentation, and ongoing support to payroll teams and end users to facilitate smooth adoption of payroll automation.
• Monitor project progress, track key performance indicators, and report on outcomes such as reduced processing time, improved accuracy, and enhanced compliance.
• Support change management activities, including communication, stakeholder engagement, and feedback collection to drive successful project adoption.
• Contribute to post-implementation reviews, identifying lessons learned and opportunities for further optimization.

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Finance, Accounting, Information Systems, or a related field, with a minimum of 3+ years of progressive payroll experience within multinational or shared service environments.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or delivering payroll automation and process improvement projects, ideally within a multi-country or regional context.
• Hands‑on experience with the payroll automation platform
• Configuration and customization of Strada modules for payroll workflows.
• Data migration, mapping, and validation within Strada.
• Integration of Strada with HRIS, time & attendance, and financial systems.
• User acceptance testing (UAT), troubleshooting, and issue resolution in Strada.
• Generating and interpreting Strada payroll reports and analytics.
• Providing end‑user training and support for Strada functionalities.
• In‑depth knowledge of payroll operations, statutory compliance, and reporting requirements across countries within the APMEA and Europe region.
• Proven track record collaborating with cross‑functional teams (HR, IT, Finance, vendors) to deliver project objectives, manage timelines, and resolve issues.
• Strong understanding of regional labor laws, tax regulations, and audit practices relevant to payroll processes.
• Experience with requirements gathering workflow mapping, system testing, and change management for payroll technology implementations.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, pivot tables, charting, and data analysis to validate payroll data and derive business insights.
• Proficiency in Co-Pilot, Agentic AI with experience creating dashboards and reports to analyse payroll KPIs, trends, and performance metrics.
• Hands‑on experience with SAP, SuccessFactors, Concur and ServiceNow including configuration, data extraction, and process documentation.
• Practical knowledge of Kronos and other time and attendance systems, supporting accurate time data capture and acting as a liaison between site teams and payroll providers.
• Strong reporting and analytical capabilities, with a proactive approach to monitoring payroll routines, identifying discrepancies, and providing actionable insights to support operational decisions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrating commitment to service quality, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Project management certification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, Agile) or experience is an advantage.

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non‑Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a “starter kit,” investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.

Recruiter: #LI-CST1
Posting Type: LI