Payroll Specialist – EMEA (6 Month Contract) in Reading

Barracuda Networks is seeking an experienced professional to provide short‑term, hands‑on payroll cover for a 6‑month period while payroll transitions are underway within the global payroll team. This is a delivery‑focused interim assignment requiring an individual who can hit the ground running immediately, take ownership of EMEA payroll operations, and ensure business‑as‑usual continuity throughout the transition period. This role is suited to a confident, operational payroll professional with strong EMEA expertise, who is comfortable stepping into an evolving environment, working with existing vendors, and maintaining accuracy, compliance, and control within the EMEA team.

Key Responsibilities

• Take immediate ownership of end‑to‑end payroll processing for assigned EMEA countries, ensuring uninterrupted, accurate, and timely payroll delivery.
• Act as a steady operational presence during payroll transition, maintaining stability and mitigating risk.
• Work directly with external payroll vendor, managing day‑to‑day processing, issue resolution, validations, and service delivery.
• Perform and review payroll reconciliations and controls, including gross‑to‑net checks, variance analysis, statutory and payroll‑to‑GL reconciliations.
• Partner closely with HR and Finance to support month‑end close, payroll cost reporting, accruals, and audit needs.
• Ensure continued compliance with local payroll legislation, tax, social security, and statutory reporting obligations across EMEA.
• Manage employee lifecycle payroll activities, including starters, leavers, final pay, and statutory submissions.
• Respond efficiently to payroll queries from employees and stakeholders, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Assist on creating payroll SOPs, documentation, and control frameworks, highlighting any risks, gaps, or dependencies identified during the interim period.
• Provide clear handover documentation and insights at the end of the assignment to support post‑transition payroll activity.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Proven hands‑on EMEA payroll experience in a multi‑country environment.
• Demonstrated ability to step into interim or contract payroll roles and deliver immediately with minimal ramp‑up.
• Strong experience working with and managing external payroll providers.
• Advanced Excel skills are essential (e.g. reconciliations, control checks, variance analysis, payroll reporting).
• Solid understanding of EMEA payroll compliance and statutory requirements.
• Experience operating in transition, change, or transformation environments is highly desirable.
• Highly detail‑oriented, deadline‑driven, and comfortable working independently.
• Fluent English required; fluency in another European language (German highly desirable).
• Confident, pragmatic, and solutions‑focused, with the resilience to operate in a fast‑paced, change‑driven setting.

What you’ll get from us

• A team where you can voice your opinion, make an impact, and where you and your experience are valued.
• Internal mobility – there are opportunities for cross training and the ability to attain your next career step within Barracuda.