Manager, Payroll EMEA

The EMEA Payroll Manager is a role designed to provide leading payroll management for Sony Interactive Entertainment. This role and team are positioned within the People Experience team in HR. The EMEA Payroll Manager is responsible for day‑to‑day payroll vendor partnership(s), overseeing the preparation and processing of payroll for all employees, ensuring accuracy and compliance with internal policies and legal regulations. This role will focus on the EMEA (excluding UK and Ireland). This position is responsible for training and development of the Payroll team and will lead in a collaborative manner, within and outside Payroll Services, to drive an environment of exceptional customer service. The individual can produce, analyse, and articulate process and technology improvements to the Payroll Director and is expected to maintain up‑to‑date awareness of current trends in HR and Payroll.

What you’ll be doing

• Ownership for delivery of BAU Payroll, with two direct reports.
• Develop relationships across the SIE organisation and collaborate with HR PX, Benefits, Compensation, PTS & Mobility teams.
• Responsible for maintaining ongoing connections through weekly interactions and meetings to ensure timely and accurate results.
• Management and delivery of monthly payrolls, alongside annual payroll calendars and tasks.
• Provide exceptional stakeholder experience, resulting in high customer satisfaction.
• Liaise between outsource provider and functional staff to bring issues to resolution within provided service level agreements.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external customers and key stakeholder management.
• Oversee training and communications with customers and system users on new processes and functionality.
• Solicit customer feedback from across teams downstream and upstream to understand potential areas of vendor services improvement.
• Works collaboratively to optimise services by aligning systems with the expectations of the customer’s needs.
• Proactively monitors and advises customers and stakeholders on critical issues affecting service delivery.
• Implement findings and recommendations to further enhance the Payroll function.
• Analyse any stakeholders concerns and develop action plans for correction.

Payroll Services Governance

• Day‑to‑day liaison with the outsourced payroll service providers to ensure delivery of the payroll processes and results.
• Manage responsive, accurate, and timely resolution for common payroll vendor services inquiries.
• Review additional services payments against contractual obligations and identify opportunities for reducing occurrences.
• Undertake and input into payroll governance infrastructure comprised of policies, controls and other risk management tools.
• Directly accountable to ensure that Payroll service meets all applicable service level agreements.
• Responsible to ensure that the Standard Operating Procedures manual is kept up to date with current payroll service provider model practices and procedures.
• Oversee the processing of international assignees shadow payrolls and audit pay to ensure results agree with recommendations from mobility services.

Project Management Initiatives

• Ensure contract agreements are being fulfilled/leveraged and monitor relevant metrics.
• Provide project management support for given initiatives in HR and Payroll special projects.
• Proactively participate and input into meetings with stakeholders to set end‑to‑end pay processes expectations and drive agreeable outcomes.
• Produce performance scorecard and coordinate service improvement initiatives.
• Communicate with stakeholders to project schedules, work orders, budgets and milestones.
• Report project progress to management.
• Ability to identify data trends and Payroll and Time technology architecture and articulate recommendations with IT, HRIS, Operations and outsource services on SIE’s ongoing payroll requirements.
• Aptitude to drive system automations to eliminate manual processes.
• Manage and troubleshoot the administration of payroll platform integrations.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, contract updates, and new initiatives.

What we’re looking for

• 10+ years (or equivalent) experience in managing an outsourced payroll provider and liaison with vendors.
• Demonstrable track record of leading Payroll within a large, complex, international organisation.
• Background in multi-tier support structure and dealing with external outsource support model.
• Possess a deep understanding and experience of EMEA payroll (e.g. statutory payments, pension, manual calculations) and tax law.
• Ability to manage change requests and the defining of new service provider requirements with input from multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Passion for providing exceptional quality service and striving to exceed clients’ expectations.
• Proactive anticipations of issues and developing collaborative relationships with upstream and downstream functions.
• Strong understanding of general HR processes and data, including eligibility and procedures, to provide expected correct downstream pay result outcomes.
• Analytical skills with ability to produce and effectively articulate recommendations to leadership.
• General understanding of HR and Payroll system databases, functions and processes, specifically cross-functional touchpoints.
• Outstanding leadership quality, project management skills and business commercial awareness.

Desirable

• CIPP or equivalent qualification

Benefits

• Discretionary bonus opportunity
• Hybrid Working
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental Scheme
• 25 days holiday per year
• On Site Gym
• Subsidised Café
• Free soft drinks
• On site bar
• Access to cycle garage and showers

Equal Opportunity Statement

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category. We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond. Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.