Payroll Specialist

Marlink; Netherlands; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Professional development

International team environment

Hybrid/onsite balance after first 3‑6 

Job summary

Marlink is seeking a Payroll Specialist to lead multi-country payroll operations in Europe from the Netherlands, with Norway and Croatia as supplementary locations. You’ll own monthly payroll cycles, ensure compliance, automate processes and drive improvements across regions.

The role requires at least 5 years of payroll experience across European countries, strong knowledge of tax and social security, and excellent collaboration with HR Ops Partners. Hybrid work with initial on-site presence.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of payroll experience across several European countries.
• Strong knowledge of European payroll, tax and social security.
• Experience with Nordics (Norway), the Netherlands or Central and Eastern Europe is a plus.
• Experience managing outsourced payroll providers and their service levels.

Responsibilities

• Run payroll for the countries in scope from start to finish with local providers.
• Be the single point of contact for providers and HR Ops Partners.
• Process payroll data and change requests (starters, leavers, pay changes, absence, overtime).
• Prepare payroll journals and reconciliations for Finance; support year-end work and audits.
• Oversee statutory payroll reporting to local authorities and coordinate improvements.

Skills

Payroll management

European payroll

Regulatory compliance

Data analysis

Stakeholder collaboration

Excel skills

Job description

Location: Netherlands (primary location), Norway or Croatia

Role Purpose

As the first dedicated Payroll Specialist in Regional HR Operations, the role focuses on three key areas:

• Ensuring timely and error-free payroll processing across multiple assigned countries while maintaining compliance with local laws and regulations.
• Ensuring payroll processes are reliable, accurate, automated, and cost-efficient, including driving savings across countries and payroll providers.
• Proactively collaborating with HR Operations Partners across the region to align, optimise, enhance, and improve payroll processes across Europe.

The role works closely with HR Operations Partners across Europe, Global Compliance & Enablement (GC&E), HR Technology & Data Analytics, Talent Acquisition & Rewards Centres of Excellence, Finance, Procurement, and external payroll providers to support the effective delivery and continuous improvement of payroll processes.

What you’ll do

Run payroll for the countries in scope

• Own the monthly payroll cycle from start to finish with the local providers: inputs, cut-offs, validation, reconciliation and getting the payroll ready for sign-off.
• Be the single point of contact for the providers, and for payroll questions from HR Ops Partners and employees in these countries.
• Process payroll data and change requests (starters, leavers, pay changes, absence, overtime, deductions). Use the validation files from HR Technology & Data Analytics.
• Prepare payroll journals and reconciliations for Finance. Support year-end work, statutory reporting and audits.
• Oversee statutory payroll reporting to local authorities in the countries you run payroll for. Make sure reports are correct and on time, and work with local representatives to improve and align the process.

Work with the HR Ops Partners across Europe

• Work closely with the HR Ops Partners in the region to align payroll processes, calendars, templates and controls. This includes countries where the specialist doesn't run payroll.
• Be the payroll expert and sounding board for the region, sharing good practice, solutions and lessons learned between countries.
• Agree a clear handover with each HR Ops Partner: what HR Ops supplies (approved changes, absence, local cases) and what the specialist delivers.
• Run a regular payroll network with the HR Ops Partners to agree the improvement priorities.

Improve and automate the process (whole region)

• Work to improve the current payroll processes and remove manual steps and duplicate checks.
• Agree and maintain a payroll calendar and cut-off schedule per country.
• Define the requirements for interfaces from the HR system to payroll and for automated input files. HR Technology & Data Analytics delivers the system changes.
• Pilot standard templates, controls and standard operating procedures in Europe.

Manage payroll providers

• Assess the local payroll providers on quality, cost, compliance, integration and service. Recommend whether to keep, consolidate or change them.
• Lead provider selection and onboarding with Procurement and Finance. Manage the providers' service levels and performance reviews.

Compliance and control

• Apply local payroll rules (tax, tax benefits, social security, pensions, collective agreements) in the countries in scope. Flag regulatory changes to Global Compliance & Enablement and the HR Ops Partners concerned.
• Keep payroll controls, an audit trail and data privacy (GDPR) compliance in place.

What you’ll bring

• At least 5 years of payroll experience across several European countries, either in-house or at a provider.
• Solid knowledge of European payroll, tax and social security. Experience with the Nordics (especially Norway), the Netherlands or Central and Eastern Europe is an advantage, as is cross-border or shadow payroll.
• A track record of improving payroll processes, automating them or moving them to a new provider.
• Experience managing outsourced payroll providers and their service levels.
• Good knowledge of HR systems and payroll interfaces. Strong excel, reporting and reconciliation skills.
• Experience with statutory payroll reporting in several European countries
• Ability to translate complex tax or pay policies into clear answers for employees, HR ops partners.
• Attention to detail: Meticulousness to prevent costly calculation errors, missed deadlines, or compliance penalties.
• Discretion & confidentiality: Strict handling of sensitive personal and financial employee data as well as company data
• Problem-Solving & adaptability: Resolving disputes diplomatically. Root-cause analysis for payroll discrepancies and agility in adjusting to changing tax laws or software updates.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be able to influence and align HR colleagues across countries without managing them.
• Fluent in English. A Scandinavian or another European language is a plus.

What’s in it for you

• Continuous learning through certifications, training and workshops.
• The opportunity to fully develop your potential and grow within your area of responsibility.
• A positive international work environment with a strong focus on quality, collaboration and growth.
• Hybrid working model (minimum 3 days per week in the office; full on-site presence required during the first 3 months).