Payroll Specialist

DHI Group (India); Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 78,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

DHI Group (India) is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Specialist to support accurate, timely payroll delivery for assigned legal entities and countries. The role collaborates with HR, Finance, employees, and vendors to resolve payroll queries and maintain reliable records.

The position is based at the KL Hub with ~10% travel and requires 2–4 years of payroll experience in a shared services or multi-entity setup, along with strong data integrity and confidentiality practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR/Accounting or related field.
• 2–4 years payroll experience in Shared Services or multi-entity environment.
• Fluent written and spoken English; ability to handle confidential data.

Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end payroll activities for assigned entities in line with the payroll calendar and internal controls.
• Collect, review, and validate payroll inputs (new hires, terminations, changes, leave, one-time payments).
• Perform pre- and post-payroll checks and reconcile results, escalating discrepancies.
• Maintain payroll records and support compliance with labour, tax, social security, and statutory reporting requirements.
• Respond to payroll queries accurately within service standards while protecting confidential information.
• Support payroll payment preparation, validation, and approvals with established controls.
• Coordinate with external payroll providers for assigned countries and review outputs against inputs.
• Prepare payroll reports, headcount reconciliations, and costing schedules for HR and Finance.
• Assist with year-end activities, tax reconciliations, and statutory submissions.

Skills

Payroll processing

Data accuracy

Excel proficiency

Analytical skills

English proficiency

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Accounting

Tools

HRIS systems

Payroll platforms

Power BI

Job description

DHI Group is seeking a detail-oriented and service-focused Payroll Specialist to support accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery for assigned legal entities and countries. The role executes payroll activities, validates employee and pay data, coordinates with external payroll providers, and supports reconciliations, reporting, statutory submissions, and year-end processes. Working within a Shared Services environment, the Payroll Specialist collaborates with HR, Finance, employees, and vendors to resolve payroll queries, maintain reliable records, and contribute to consistent payroll processes and controls.

Main Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Compliance

• Execute end-to-end payroll activities for assigned entities or countries in line with the payroll calendar, approved inputs, internal controls, and service level agreements.
• Collect, review, and validate payroll inputs such as new hires, terminations, salary changes, allowances, deductions, overtime, leave, and one‑time payments.
• Perform pre-payroll and post-payroll checks, reconcile payroll results, and elevate discrepancies or risks to the Senior Payroll Specialist or Payroll Lead.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and support compliance with applicable labour, tax, social security, and statutory reporting requirements.
• Respond to employee payroll queries accurately and within agreed service standards while protecting confidential information.

Payroll Payments & Banking

• Support payroll payment preparation, validation, and approval processes in accordance with established controls.
• Validate payroll payment files, bank details, and payment totals before submission or approval.
• Support resolution of rejected, returned, or failed payroll payments.
• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and payment controls

Payroll Query / Case Management

• Manage payroll queries through the designated HR/Payroll service management system or ticketing platform.
• Investigate payroll‑related cases, document actions taken, and ensure timely resolution within agreed SLAs.
• Identify recurring employee queries and contribute to FAQs, knowledge articles, and process improvements.

Shared Services & Process Excellence

• Follow documented Standard Operating Procedures, payroll controls, approval requirements, and data governance standards.
• Maintain process documentation, payroll calendars, checklists, and knowledge articles for assigned payrolls.
• Identify recurring issues and improvement opportunities, provide practical recommendations, and support approved process changes.
• Participate in payroll testing, User Acceptance Testing, and implementation activities under the guidance of senior team members.
• Manage and monitor payroll calendars, cut‑off dates, approval timelines, and payment deadlines for assigned entities.

Payroll Systems & Data Integration

• Process and maintain payroll‑related data in HRIS and payroll platforms with a high level of accuracy.
• Support employee data setup and payroll configuration for assigned entities, including payroll rules, statutory fields, and bank or payment information.
• Validate data transfers between HR systems, payroll platforms, Finance, and external vendors; investigate and resolve interface or data exceptions.
• Adhere to access controls, data privacy requirements, and secure handling procedures for payroll information.

External Payroll Vendor Coordination

• Coordinate payroll inputs, timelines, queries, and deliverables with external payroll providers for assigned countries.
• Review vendor payroll outputs against approved inputs, control totals, and supporting documentation before approval routing.
• Track service issues and support timely resolution with vendors and internal stakeholders; elevate missed deadlines or quality concerns when required.

Payroll Reporting & Reconciliation

• Prepare routine payroll reports, headcount reconciliations, payroll journals, cost allocations, and supporting schedules for HR and Finance.
• Perform basic variance analysis against prior periods or approved inputs and explain identified differences with supporting evidence.
• Support monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting requirements by providing accurate payroll data and documentation.

Year-End, Audit & Statutory Support

• Support payroll year‑end activities, tax reconciliations, employee forms, and statutory submissions for assigned payrolls.
• Prepare payroll evidence and respond to information requests for internal and external audits under the guidance of senior team members.
• Follow up on identified payroll issues and complete agreed corrective actions within the required timeline.

Location & Mobility

• The role is based at the KL Hub and may include approximately 10% travel per year, depending on business requirements.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree or diploma in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• A recognised payroll qualification or relevant professional certification is an advantage.

Experience & Knowledge

• 2 to 4 years of hands‑on payroll experience, preferably in a Shared Services, outsourced payroll, or multi‑entity environment.
• Experience supporting payroll processing for one or more countries; regional or global payroll exposure is an advantage.
• Working knowledge of payroll controls, payroll accounting, statutory deductions, tax reporting, and year‑end activities.
• Experience coordinating with external payroll vendors and internal HR and Finance stakeholders.
• Practical experience using HRIS and payroll systems; exposure to system testing or implementation activities is an advantage.

Technical & Analytical Skills

• Good proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including PivotTables, lookups, formulas, data validation, and reconciliation.
• Ability to review payroll data, identify exceptions, and perform basic variance and trend analysis.
• Understanding of payroll journals, cost‑centre allocation, and payroll‑to‑Finance reconciliation.
• Ability to work accurately with large and confidential data sets while following established controls.
• Exposure to Power BI or similar reporting tools is an advantage.

Language Skills

• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Any additional language used within the supported region is an advantage.

Characteristics

• Highly meticulous, organised, and committed to accuracy and deadlines.
• Service‑oriented and responsive when supporting employees and stakeholders.
• Analytical and curious, with a practical approach to resolving payroll discrepancies.
• Clear communicator who can explain payroll matters professionally and respectfully.
• Comfortable working in an international, fast‑paced, and changing environment.
• Collaborative team player who can also manage assigned work independently.Demonstrates discretion, integrity, and sound judgement when handling confidential payroll data.

Deadline: 10/10/2026, 15:59 Contact person: Gerard Pakeyanathan [e-mail] Position type: Full time Country: Malaysia Job type: Human Resources

DHI are the first people you should call when you have a tough challenge to solve in a water environment – be it a river, a reservoir, an ocean, a coastline, within a city or a factory.

Our knowledge of water environments is second‑to‑none. It represents 50 years of dedicated research and real‑life experience from more than 140 countries. We strive to make this knowledge globally accessible to clients and partners by channelling it through our local teams and unique software.

Our world is water. So whether you need to save water, share it fairly, improve its quality, quantify its impact or manage its flow, we can help. Our knowledge, combined with our team's expertise and the power of our technology, holds the key to unlocking the right solution.

For more information please visit www.dhigroup.com