Payroll Specialist

Senior Payroll Transition Specialist - Contract - URGENT!

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Payroll Transition Specialist to provide hands‑on, delivery‑focused support for multiple complex payroll transformation initiatives across EMEA.

This role will lead the end‑to‑end payroll transition activities for:

• Payroll vendor changes in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands
• Transition of Germany ADP streamline Payroll to ADP Celergo Payroll

This is a delivery role, not a governance or PMO position. The successful candidate will work directly with payroll teams, vendors, and stakeholders to support with payroll test scripts, test, document SOPS, train existing teams and stabilise payroll operations through transition and go‑live.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Transition & Implementation

• Lead hands‑on payroll transition activities from incumbent vendors/platforms to new providers/systems
• Actively support payroll teams through data readiness, User Test Scripts, UAT, validation, and parallel runs to go live
• Own and execute end‑to‑end payroll testing, including:
• Payroll test strategy and approach
• Detailed payroll test scripts (unit, integration, parallel)
• Test execution and defect resolution
• Drive successful parallel payroll runs, ensuring accuracy, reconciliation, and sign‑off prior to go‑live

Operational Readiness & Documentation

• Develop clear, practical payroll procedures, SOPs, and work instructions
• Translate complex legislative and system outputs into usable operational documentation
• Ensure knowledge transfer from vendors into internal payroll teams
• Support the establishment of robust post‑go‑live support models

Stakeholder & Vendor Engagement

• Act as the day‑to‑day payroll SME working with:

Training & Team Enablement

• Train payroll teams on:
• New payroll vendors/platforms
• Updated processes and controls
• Country‑specific legislative requirements
• Build payroll capability, not dependency

Risk, Controls & Compliance

• Ensure payroll controls are embedded during transition, including:
• L1 / L2 approval frameworks
• Reconciliation and variance analysis
• Audit‑ready documentation
• Proactively identify payroll and statutory risks and drive resolution

Key Deliverables

• Payroll test plans and detailed test scripts
• Successfully completed parallel payroll runs
• Fully documented payroll SOPs and procedures
• Trained and confident payroll teams
• Stable payroll operations post go‑live

Required Experience & Skills

Essential

• Proven, hands‑on experience delivering payroll transitions or payroll implementations
• ADP Celergo Payroll experience
• Strong operational payroll expertise in Germany (mandatory)
• Experience with Belgium and/or Netherlands payrolls (highly desirable)
• Deep understanding of:
• Gross‑to‑net processing
• Statutory reporting
• Payroll controls and audit requirements
• Practical experience with:
• Payroll testing
• Parallel runs
• Data validation and reconciliation
• Vendor change or platform migration
• Ability to work independently and drive delivery without heavy oversight

Highly Desirable

• Experience with outsourced payroll models and Social Secretaries
• Prior exposure to EMEA payroll governance frameworks
• Fluent English; German/Dutch language skills a strong advantage

Personal Attributes

• Hands‑on, pragmatic, and delivery‑oriented
• Comfortable “in the detail” of payroll
• Confident challenging vendors and assumptions
• Calm under pressure, solution‑focused
• Strong communicator with payroll, HR, and Finance stakeholders