Payroll Manager

Unilever; United States; Remote; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Payroll Manager to lead regional payroll operations across multiple countries in the APAC region. This role is pivotal in ensuring compliance, driving process improvements, and fostering collaboration among diverse teams. The ideal candidate will possess strong financial acumen, leadership skills, and a passion for continuous improvement. Join a forward-thinking company committed to making sustainable living commonplace while enjoying a flexible and inclusive work environment. If you are ready to make a significant impact in a global setting, this opportunity is for you.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of payroll operations experience, especially in Southeast Asia.
• Proven ability to manage multi-country payroll and stakeholder relationships.

Responsibilities

• Oversee payroll processes ensuring compliance and accuracy.
• Manage stakeholder relationships across HR, Finance, and other departments.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Leadership Skills

Project Management

Financial Acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration

Job description

Location: Malaysia

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position. We will consider candidates based in the set locations. If you are outside these locations and interested, please apply; however, at this stage, we will not proceed with applications from outside unless there is a decision to recruit beyond the set locations.

About Unilever

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products daily, Unilever makes a real impact on the world. We work on beloved brands that improve lives and are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace. We believe that doing business ethically drives superior performance. Our people are at the core of our success—when they work with purpose, we create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career is a unique journey within an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible environment. We provide the tools to help you shape your future.

Job Purpose

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Payroll Manager to oversee our regional payroll operations. This multifaceted role combines payroll management, compliance, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration across the APAC region, including Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Singapore. The goal is to deliver precise, compliant payroll services to our regional workforce. The role involves leading regional operations and supporting transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.

Main Responsibilities

1. Oversee Payroll Operations: Manage end-to-end payroll processes, ensuring timely and accurate payroll processing in compliance with local and internal policies.
2. Stakeholder Management: Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including HR, Finance, Global Mobility, and other departments, to resolve payroll inquiries and issues.
3. Partner with COE members on activities such as vendor management, policy development, and process improvements.
4. Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations through audits and reporting.
5. Generate and analyze payroll reports to support decision-making and identify areas for improvement.
6. Lead, mentor, and develop a team of payroll professionals to achieve operational excellence and growth.
7. Develop activities and plans to mitigate internal and external risks.
8. Share knowledge and best practices within the payroll team and leadership.

Candidate Criteria

1. Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
2. At least 2 years of payroll operations experience, especially in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines preferred; experience in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam desirable), with management experience.
3. Proven ability to manage multi-country payroll and stakeholder relationships.
4. Deep understanding of SOX controls and compliance requirements.
5. Strong financial and business acumen.

Skills

1. Excellent analytical and attention-to-detail skills.
2. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
3. Ability to handle confidential information with integrity.
4. Ability to work under pressure in a global environment.
5. Fluent in English; local language skills are a plus.
6. Strong presentation and idea-selling skills.
7. Inspiring and motivational leadership, capable of managing remote, cross-cultural teams.
8. Effective project and time management skills.
9. Flexible and adaptable mindset.

Leadership

You are results-driven, resilient, and lead by example. You seek continuous improvement, understand business context, and motivate teams to perform passionately. You promote inclusivity and foster a collaborative environment, balancing challenge with support and coaching.

**Standards of Leadership (SOL) Behaviors:**

• Passion for High Performance: High standards, emotional intelligence, empathy.
• Personal Mastery: Focus, responsibility, resilience.
• Consumer Love: Deep understanding of consumer needs.
• Purpose & Service: Humility and service-oriented leadership.
• Business Acumen: Sustainable growth and systemic engagement.
• Talent Catalyst: Investing in people, fostering inclusion, inspiring teamwork.

The duties are not exhaustive and may change with business needs.

Unilever values diversity and encourages applications from all backgrounds. We support accessibility and reasonable adjustments during our recruitment process.

Additional Information

• Office-based role.
• Applicants must have working rights in the country. Relocation costs are self-funded unless otherwise specified.

Interested?

Please apply via our portal. Confirm you have informed your manager and are ready for this career move. We are committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity. If you need support or adjustments, please let us know.

About the Company

Unilever plc, a British multinational consumer goods company headquartered in London, operates in around 190 countries.