Payroll Team Lead (German payroll)

TMF Group; Województwo śląskie; Hybrid; PLN 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical care

Life insurance

Hybrid/remote working

Multikafeteria program (Multisport)

Language learning platform

Mental well-being platform

Annual Christmas gifts

Charity projects

Job summary

TMF Group is hiring a Payroll Team Leader to manage a payroll team delivering accurate and timely payroll services for multiple clients. The role combines operational oversight with team leadership, ensuring service quality, controls, and continuous improvement.

Based in Poland with the flexibility to work from the Katowice office 1-2 days per quarter for integration and training, you will drive performance, mentor staff, and coordinate with cross-functional teams to meet client expectations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll experience, including multi-client or BPO environments, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or team leadership role.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of payroll professionals, ensuring accurate and timely payroll delivery in line with SLAs and client expectations.
• Allocate work, oversee daily operations, and monitor team performance to ensure productivity, quality, and compliance with internal controls and local regulations.
• Act as the primary escalation point for complex payroll or client issues; collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to resolve matters effectively.
• Conduct regular quality reviews, provide feedback, and ensure adherence to SOPs and audit requirements.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members through regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and ongoing support to build capability and engagement.
• Participate in client meetings, manage service escalations, and ensure strong communication and alignment with client expectations.
• Drive process improvement initiatives, including standardization, automation, and implementation of best practices across the team.
• Ensure compliance with local legislation and internal control frameworks (e.g., ISAE 3402, ISO27001, ISO 22031); support audits and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support onboarding, system upgrades, and transitions.
• Provide input into resource planning, workload balancing, and team structure optimization.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Team management

Excel data analysis

Stakeholder management

Payroll systems

Education

Accounting/Business/HR degree

Tools

LOGA

Job description

TMF Group is a leading provider of administrative services, helping clients invest and operate safely around the world.

As we’re a global company with 11,000+ colleagues based in over 125 offices across 87 jurisdictions, we actively seek out people with the talent and potential to flourish at TMF Group, whatever their background, and offer job opportunities to the broadest spectrum of people. Once on board we nurture and promote talented individuals, making sure that senior positions are open to all.

Discover the role

The Payroll Team Leader is a people manager responsible for leading a team of payroll professionals to ensure the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of payroll services for a defined portfolio of clients. The role combines operational oversight with team leadership, ensuring service quality, adherence to internal controls, and continuous improvement.

In this role, you will have the flexibility to work from our Katowice office just 1-2 days per quarter for team integration, process improvement, and training purposes.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of payroll professionals, ensuring accurate and timely payroll delivery in line with service level agreements (SLAs) and client expectations.
• Allocate work, oversee daily operations, and monitor team performance to ensure productivity, quality, and compliance with internal controls and local regulations.
• Act as the primary escalation point for complex payroll or client issues; collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to resolve matters effectively.
• Conduct regular quality reviews, provide feedback, and ensure adherence to standard operating procedures and audit requirements.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members through regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and ongoing support to build capability and engagement.
• Participate in client meetings, manage service escalations, and ensure strong communication and alignment with client expectations.
• Drive process improvement initiatives, including standardization, automation, and implementation of best practices across the team.
• Ensure compliance with local legislation and internal control frameworks (e.g., ISAE 3402, ISO27001, ISO 22031); support audits and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., Ops, Finance, IT) to support onboarding, system upgrades, and transitions.
• Provide input into resource planning, workload balancing, and team structure optimization.

Key requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of payroll experience, including multi-client or BPO environments, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or team leadership / coordination role.
• Degree in Accounting, Business, HR, or a related field preferred; payroll certifications highly desirable.
• Fluency in English and German required
• Advanced knowledge of payroll processes and systems (preferably LOGA), and local German legislation
• Proficiency in payroll systems and Microsoft Excel (e.g., advanced formulas, pivot tables).
• Certifications: Payroll-related certifications (e.g., Certified Payroll Professional, national payroll qualifications) preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage service delivery, resolve complex issues, and drive continuous improvement in a shared services environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills for client engagement and team leadership.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills to manage escalations and operational challenges.

What's in it for you

• An exciting opportunity in an international company
• Convenient central location of the office
• Flexi-time and hybrid/remote working
• An international and dynamic environment
• Private medical care
• Life insurance
• Co-financing for the Multikafeteria program (e.g. Multisport card)
• Access to a language platform with 12 different languages to learn
• Access to a mental health and well-being platform offering a variety of functionalities that will support you in caring for your well-being
• Exceptional people and atmosphere
• Christmas and occasional gifts
• Co-financing of holidays (social fund)
• Opportunity to take part in charity projects

We’re looking forward to getting to know you!