Manager - Payroll

About the Position

GMG is a global well-being company retailing, distributing, and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties, and logistics sectors. We are seeking a Manager - Payroll to lead and manage end-to-end payroll operations for GMG group employees across multiple geographies, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll activities and program components across multiple geographies using SAP S/4HANA and SuccessFactors, ensuring effective department functioning, coordination of activities, and compliance with established financial, legal, and administrative requirements for the GMG group.
• Define and implement robust controls, procedures, and reconciliation checks in payroll processing and payments to ensure accuracy, consistency, audit readiness, and compliance with standard processes.
• Ensure compilation and validation of payroll data from a wide variety of sources (e.g., attendance systems, leave, incentives, and statutory inputs) to maintain data integrity and accuracy of payroll outputs.
• Verify and validate payroll-related information (e.g., time sheets, leave, overtime, benefits, statutory deductions, and final settlements) to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing.
• Oversee payroll runs, simulations, final settlements (FS), banking processes, and reconciliations, ensuring timely execution across all payroll cycles and regions.
• Review, approve, and sign (as per authority matrix) payment requests, payroll outputs, and employment-related documentation for banks and financial institutions, ensuring only authorized transactions are processed.
• Develop and enhance payroll administration policies, procedures, and SOPs, driving standardization, process improvement, and automation to improve efficiency and reduce manual dependency.
• Ensure effective implementation and governance of compensation and benefits structures (salary components, allowances, incentives, statutory contributions, and end-of-service benefits).
• Manage statutory compliance across regions (e.g., WPS, GPSSA, PF, NPS), ensuring timely submissions, validations, and adherence to local laws.
• Lead payroll calendar planning, cut-off management, and coordination with HRBP, Finance, GR, and banking partners to ensure timely payroll execution and proactive management of regional holidays and deadlines.
• Ensure generation and submission of payroll reports, dashboards, and ad-hoc analysis (e.g., headcount, payroll trends, and cost insights) to support business decision-making and improve visibility.
• Present payroll reconciliations, trend analysis, and key insights effectively to senior leadership to support informed decision-making and ensure transparency across payroll operations.
• Oversee offboarding payroll activities, including final settlements, hold instructions, recoveries, and compliance with legal and internal requirements, ensuring timely closure of employee records.
• Lead the development and maintenance of payroll documentation, manuals, and guidelines, ensuring continuous updates aligned with business and regulatory changes.
• Drive payroll governance and control ownership by enforcing approval hierarchies, cut-off discipline, and audit-ready processes across all payroll activities.
• Proactively identify payroll risks and implement mitigation plans to ensure compliance, accuracy, and operational continuity.

Requirements

• Minimum 12+ years of progressive experience in payroll management, with at least 4–6 years of hands-on experience in SAP S/4HANA payroll systems within the MENA region.
• Proven experience in managing end-to-end, multi-country payroll operations (UAE and GCC mandatory; India exposure preferred), including statutory compliance (e.g., WPS, GPSSA, PF/NPS) in high-volume and complex payroll environments.
• Demonstrated track record in driving payroll transformation initiatives, including process standardization, automation, strengthening controls, and reducing manual dependency.
• Strong experience in stakeholder management and cross-functional coordination, particularly with HRBP, Finance, GR, and external partners, ensuring timely payroll inputs, validations, reconciliations, and issue resolution.

Skills

• Payroll Processing & Administration (Multi-country)
• Statutory Compliance (WPS, GPSSA, PF, NPS, etc.)
• Payroll Controls, Reconciliation & Audit Readiness
• Financial Planning & Reporting (Payroll-related)
• Data Management & Reporting (Advanced Excel / Dashboards)
• Payroll Banking (Multi-country)
• Time & Attendance Integration with Payroll Systems
• Knowledge of Local Laws & Regulations (UAE & GCC)
• Process Design, SOP Development & Automation
• Risk Management & Compliance Governance
• Analytical Ability
• Presentation Skills
• Stakeholder & Vendor Management (HR, Finance, Banks)

We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Opportunity to work with a global well-being company
• Professional growth and development opportunities

About the Company

GMG is a global well-being company retailing, distributing, and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties, and logistics sectors. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for over 45 years, GMG is a valued partner of choice for the world's most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Working across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands across 12 countries.