Payroll Project Lead

Sun Life Financial; Philippines; On-site; PHP 1,674,000 - 2,790,000; Full time

Job summary

Sun Life Financial is seeking a seasoned professional to lead Global Payroll Transformation, Implementation & Transition, partnering with cross-functional teams to manage country migrations and ensure seamless integration.

You will own onboarding of new countries into the managed payroll model, drive operational readiness, and oversee governance, risk and compliance across markets while driving standardization and automation improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead global payroll transformation initiatives including transition to a managed services operating model
• Partner with implementation teams to execute payroll vendor transition and country migrations
• Align Workday configuration with payroll vendor setup for seamless integration
• Direct payroll testing cycles (parallel runs, UAT) and resolve defects before go-live
• Lead cutover planning and ensure business readiness across stakeholders
• Establish governance with milestones, risks and dependencies during implementation
• Onboard new countries into the managed payroll model and enable scalable expansion
• Drive operational readiness for steady-state service delivery, including knowledge transfer and baseline metrics
• Own end-to-end payroll delivery across countries through outsourced providers
• Manage vendor performance, SLAs, service quality, accuracy and employee experience
• Lead issue escalation and ongoing service optimization
• Govern vendor-driven changes to align with business requirements and readiness
• Partner with HR, Finance and Technology to align payroll with business priorities
• Forecast demand and adapt payroll services to evolving organizational needs
• Act as trusted partner to internal stakeholders on payroll outcomes and service performance
• Own compliance and regulatory adherence across all countries in scope
• Maintain controls and audit readiness
• Drive internal and external audit engagements, ensuring timely responses
• Drive payroll standardization and automation initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability
• Lead innovation as part of the payroll transformation roadmap

Job description

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful. When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Global Payroll Transformation, Implementation & Transition

• Play a key role in global payroll transformation initiatives, ensuring successful transition to a managed services operating model
• Partner with implementation teams to execute payroll vendor transition and country migrations
• Accountable for alignment between Workday configuration and payroll vendor setup to ensure seamless integration
• Direct payroll testing cycles (e.g., parallel runs, user acceptance testing) and ensure defects are resolved prior to go-live
• Lead cutover planning and execution, ensuring business readiness across stakeholders
• Establish transition governance, including tracking milestones, risks, and dependencies during implementation phases
• Own onboarding of new countries into the managed payroll model and enable scalable expansion globally
• Drive operational readiness for steady-state service delivery post-implementation, including knowledge transfer, process stabilization, and baseline performance metrics

Payroll Service Delivery & Vendor Management

• Accountable for end-to-end payroll delivery across multiple countries through outsourced providers
• Own vendor performance outcomes, ensuring SLAs, service quality, accuracy, and employee experience standards are consistently achieved
• Lead issue escalation, resolution, and ongoing service optimization
• Govern vendor-driven changes, ensuring alignment with business requirements and operational readiness

Stakeholder Partnership & Business Alignment

• Partner with HR, Finance, and Technology teams to align payroll delivery with business priorities
• Forecast demand and adapt payroll services to evolving organizational needs
• Act as a trusted partner to internal stakeholders on payroll outcomes and service performance

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Own compliance and regulatory adherence across all countries in scope
• Maintain strong controls and audit readiness
• Drive internal and external audit engagements, ensuring timely and accurate responses

Continuous Improvement & Standardization

• Drive payroll standardization efforts across markets
• Own and deliver automation and process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, and scalability
• Actively lead innovation efforts as part of the ongoing payroll transformation roadmap

Job Category: Temporary Employee Posting End Date: 03/11/2026

Shine together

At Sun Life, you can be your most brilliant self. Our supportive, flexible, and inclusive work environment is one where you – and your career – can thrive. Whatever your aspirations, collaborative leaders and colleagues are ready to help you learn, grow, and succeed.

Make life brighter

We’re a global company with a passion for people. Our purpose is to help Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. As a team of 30,000 across 26 countries, our impact is far-reaching, and locally relevant.

There’s power in numbers. As part of Sun Life’s growing team, you have an impact on people in your community and around the world.

Shape the future

With an optimistic eye on a brighter future, we drive to innovate. Be part of leading change, push boundaries and try new ways of working. Use data to drive bold actions. Be agile and pivot as we test and learn.

At Sun Life, we’re driving transformation, sustainability and innovation for our Clients, employees, partners, and communities.