Specialist/Senior Specialist, Payroll Services

UPM; Kraków; On-site; PLN 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

UPM is seeking a Specialist/Senior Specialist, Payroll Services to join our Krakow-based payroll team. You will support Finland payroll and work with internal teams and external partners to deliver accurate, compliant payroll services in a fast-paced, international environment.

You will contribute to ongoing payroll transformations, manage data flows with external vendors, and ensure timely salary disbursements while complying with local labour laws and tax requirements.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of payroll operations experience (Specialist) or 5+ years (Senior Specialist).
• Experience with Finland payroll and international payroll environments.
• Knowledge of labor laws, tax regulations, and social security compliance.
• Familiarity with HRIS/Payroll technologies such as Workday.
• Strong collaboration with external vendors and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to payroll and time management transformation projects in Finland.
• Support implementation and stabilization of payroll technologies with stakeholders.
• Manage data flows with external providers and monitor SLAs.
• Perform reconciliations and quality checks for payroll reports.
• Ensure compliance with labor laws, taxes, and reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR, and People Operations on accounts and audits.
• Serve as escalation point for payroll inquiries and international issues.
• Participate in continuous improvement and standardization across Europe.

Skills

Payroll operations

Finland payroll

Workday

Time & Attendance

Vendor management

Communication skills

Tools

Workday

Time & Attendance systems

Case management tools

Job description

We are now looking for a Specialist/Senior Specialist, Payroll Services to join our Payroll team. The position is located in Krakow, Poland.

Greetings from your future manager

"As a Payroll Specialist, you will join our international community of payroll professionals, where we work together to deliver accurate, compliant and reliable payroll services. Your main focus will be Finland payroll, and you will play a key role in ensuring smooth end-to-end payroll delivery together with our internal teams and external payroll partners. While Finland will be at the heart of your role, you will also be part of our broader Global Payroll organization, giving you the opportunity to collaborate across countries, learn from colleagues and contribute to how we develop payroll globally. If you are passionate about payroll, enjoy taking ownership and want to develop together with us, I hope to hear from you!" - Nina Roos, Director, Global Payroll

What you will do

• Contribute to the ongoing payroll and time management transformation project in Finland, including transition activities, process design, way-of-working development, and readiness of the new service model
• Support the successful implementation and stabilization of new payroll and time management technologies, ensuring they meet the practical needs of UPM payroll operations
• Partner closely with external payroll provider and UPM internal stakeholders to manage data flows (attendances, variable pay, benefits, and master data changes) and monitor service level agreements (SLAs)
• Perform pre-payroll and post-payroll reconciliations, audits, and quality checks on reports provided by external vendors to guarantee correct salary disbursements
• Ensure that all payroll processes comply with labor laws, tax regulations, and statutory reporting requirements, leveraging the expertise of local providers and advisors
• Work closely with Finance, HR, and People Operations to support accounting reconciliations, general ledger postings, year-end closing, and internal/external audits
• Serve as an escalation point for complex payroll inquiries regarding pay, tax deductions, benefits or international situations
• Participate in continuous improvement, process optimization, and the development of standardized payroll frameworks and digital tools; as the role matures, responsibilities may expand to support payroll operations and development initiatives across European countries

Who you are

• You have solid professional experience (3-5+ years for Specialist or 5+ years for Senior Specialist) in managing payroll operations, preferably within international corporate environments or payroll service providers
• You have direct knowledge and proven experience handling payroll operations for Finland
• You possess strong expertise in payroll administration, collective labour agreement compliance requirements, social security and compliance requirements
• You are familiar with HRIS/Payroll technologies (e.g., Workday), Time & Attendance systems and proficient with office tools and case management technologies
• You have proven ability to manage relationships with external payroll vendors and coordinate effectively across various internal and external stakeholders
• You are organized and capable of managing strict deadlines in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment
• You have very good interpersonal and communication skills, with a collaborative mindset and strong problem-solving capabilities
• You are fluent in Finnish and