Payroll Operations Associate (APAC)

WatersEdge Solutions; Manila; On-site; PHP 446,000 - 759,000; Full time

Job summary

WatersEdge Solutions is recruiting a Payroll Operations Associate (APAC) to support payroll delivery across APAC territories and selected global markets. The role emphasises accuracy, data discipline, and timely processing within a fast-moving international payroll environment.

You'll manage calendars, data checks, validations, and post-payroll administration while collaborating with local providers and in-country experts to ensure compliant and on-time payments.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in payroll, finance operations, or HR operations with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work within structured processes while identifying gaps or inconsistencies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable handling large datasets.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication; able to collaborate with cross-border teams.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end payroll operations for APAC territories.
• Ensure payroll activities are accurate and meet deadlines and SLAs.
• Maintain payroll calendars, data cut-offs, checklists, and action trackers.
• Coordinate with local payroll providers and in-country experts.
• Review payroll inputs for completeness and accuracy before processing.
• Track payroll queries and actions through to completion.
• Assist with onboarding of new payroll territories and transitioning processes.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Data handling

English communication

Deadline management

Process documentation

Confidential data handling

APAC payroll awareness

Job description

Location: PhilippinesEmployment Type: Full-Time Industry: HR Tech | Global Payroll | Employer of Record (EOR)

WatersEdge Solutions is partnering with a fast-growing global HR technology business to recruit a detail-oriented Payroll Operations Associate (APAC). This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong operational discipline, attention to detail, and confidence working with data who wants to develop their career within international payroll operations.

Previous payroll experience is beneficial but not essential. The emphasis is on finding someone who is organised, analytical, comfortable managing multiple deadlines, and able to learn quickly within a fast-moving global environment.

About the Role

As Payroll Operations Associate, you will support payroll delivery across a portfolio of APAC territories, with potential exposure to selected global markets.

You'll be involved throughout the operational payroll cycle, including payroll calendars, input collection, data checks, validations, reconciliations, approvals, funding readiness, output reviews, and post-payroll administration.

Working closely with internal teams, local payroll providers, and in-country experts, you'll help ensure payroll activities are completed accurately, on time, and in line with established processes and service levels.

Key Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end payroll operations across an assigned portfolio of APAC territories

• Ensure payroll activities are completed accurately and within agreed deadlines and SLAs

• Maintain payroll calendars, data cut-offs, checklists, and action trackers

• Follow up with relevant stakeholders to ensure payroll inputs and approvals are received on time

• Collect and review payroll inputs for completeness, consistency, and accuracy before processing

• Coordinate with local payroll providers and in-country experts

• Track payroll queries, outstanding inputs, outputs, and actions through to completion

• Support payroll validations, reconciliations, and output checks

• Identify discrepancies and gather the information required to resolve them

• Investigate routine payroll issues and elevate more complex matters with clear supporting information

• Support employee lifecycle events including onboarding, salary changes, bonuses, leave impacts, final pay, and offboarding

• Maintain accurate SOPs, country checklists, process maps, control documentation, and internal knowledge resources

• Handle employee, payroll, and financial data with appropriate confidentiality

• Track deadlines, risks, service levels, outstanding actions, and recurring payroll issues

• Raise potential risks early to prevent disruption to payroll delivery

• Contribute to payroll process improvement and automation initiatives

• Support the onboarding of new payroll territories

• Assist with transitioning payroll knowledge and activities from external providers into internally managed processes

What You'll Bring

• Relevant experience within payroll, finance operations, HR operations, shared services, administration, or another detail-oriented operational environment

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy

• Ability to work effectively within structured processes while identifying gaps or inconsistencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Confidence investigating detailed data and operational issues

• Ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously

• Strong spreadsheet and data-handling capabilities

• Experience working with data validation and reconciliations

• Confidence working with large or detailed datasets

• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills

• Strong follow-through and the ability to take ownership of actions through to completion

• Sound judgement when handling confidential employee, payroll, and financial information

• Ability to identify and elevate risks before they affect delivery

• Based in the Philippines and able to work primarily within Philippine and APAC business hours, with occasional flexibility around regional payroll cut-offs and cross-region handovers

Nice to Have

• Previous payroll experience

• Exposure to multi-country or international payroll

• Experience within an Employer of Record (EOR) environment

• Shared services experience

• Multi-country operations exposure

• Experience working with external payroll providers

• Exposure to payroll reconciliations and validations

• Experience supporting process improvement or automation initiatives

What's On Offer

• Opportunity to build a career within global payroll operations

• Exposure to payroll delivery across multiple APAC territories

• Opportunity to develop practical multi-country payroll knowledge

• Experience working with international teams, payroll providers, and in-country experts

• Exposure to payroll process improvement and automation initiatives

• Opportunity to support the onboarding of new payroll territories

• Career development within a fast-growing global HR technology environment

Company Culture

This organisation operates with a strong culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, accountability, and excellence. Team members are encouraged to challenge existing ways of working, take ownership of outcomes, and focus on making a meaningful impact.

Please Note: If you have not been contacted within 10 working days, consider your application unsuccessful.