Payroll Specialist

About Mood: As the world’s leading in-store music media solutions company, Mood is dedicated to elevating the Customer Experience. We create greater emotional connections between brands and consumers through the right combination of sight, sound, scent, social mobile and systems solutions. The company globally reaches more than 150 million consumers each day through more than 500,000 subscriber locations in 100+ countries around the globe. Mood’s clients include businesses of all sizes and market sectors, from the world’s most recognized retailers and hotels to quick-service restaurants, local banks and thousands of small businesses.

General Summary: The EMEA Payroll Specialist oversees payroll operations across the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, France, and other assigned countries. This role ensures accurate, compliant payroll processing while driving continuous improvement. Collaborating with internal stakeholders and external payroll providers, the role ensures smooth operations and alignment with legal standards. This person must speak French as a requirement of the role.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Payroll Administration & Compliance: Manage end-to-end payroll processing across assigned EMEA countries, ensuring accuracy and legal compliance. Conduct monthly payroll audits and oversee payroll providers’ regulatory adherence. Manage relationships with external payroll partners and act as a signatory for payroll approvals. Ensure payroll data integrity, confidentiality, and compliance with data protection laws.
• Process Improvement & Reporting: Identify and implement payroll process improvements for efficiency and accuracy. Prepare and present payroll reports to senior management and external bodies. Design and update payroll policies, ensuring alignment with legal requirements.
• Risk Management & Data Integrity: Monitor payroll data integrity, addressing any discrepancies and correcting errors. Investigate data breaches and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
• Ad-Hoc & Strategic Support: Perform ad-hoc tasks as required to support payroll and HR functions, including responding to payroll-related inquiries and providing data for audits and special projects. Actively participate in projects related to payroll system upgrades, process enhancements, and global payroll expansion. Lead initiatives to evaluate, update, and enhance payroll-related systems and tools, collaborating with IT and Finance teams to integrate new solutions.

Experience & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field.
• 5+ years of EMEA payroll experience with knowledge of regulations across multiple countries.
• Strong understanding of labor laws, tax regulations, and compliance requirements across EMEA.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with internal teams and external partners.
• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on process optimization.
• Proficiency with payroll systems and HRIS tools (ADP WFN & ADP Celergo).
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and adhere to data protection laws.
• Fluent in French.

Advantageous: Certification in payroll management, such as the Global Payroll Management Certificate (GPMC) or equivalent, is a plus. Experience in HRWorks, ReWork, Kelio. Fluent in German or Dutch or a combination of these.