Global Payroll Manager (1 Year Fixed Term Contract)

About Airwallex

Airwallex is a comprehensive payments and financial platform catering to global businesses. Our proprietary infrastructure and software empower over 250,000 companies worldwide—including prominent names like Brex, Navan, Qantas, and SHEIN—with solutions managing business accounts, payments, spend management, treasury, and embedded finance on a global scale. Established in Melbourne, our team of over 2,300 talented tech professionals operates across 27 international offices. Valued at US$11 billion, backed by leading investors including T. Rowe Price, Visa, Mastercard, Sequoia, and Salesforce Ventures, Airwallex is shaping the future of global banking.

We value individuals who embody founder-like energy with a desire for impactful work, rapid learning, and ownership. Our team members demonstrate strong expertise, critical thinking, and motivation aligned with our mission and principles. We encourage fast yet considered decision-making, curiosity-driven problem solving, humility, collaboration, and the ability to execute projects end-to-end with innovative approaches, including leveraging AI.

Role Overview

The Global Payroll Manager will bring extensive experience and attention to detail in overseeing payroll operations globally. This strategic role involves leading initiatives to enhance payroll processes, system implementations, cost optimization, advisory services, control frameworks, and stakeholder collaboration to strengthen long-term payroll capabilities. Based in Singapore, this position offers a pivotal opportunity to contribute substantially to organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive global payroll transformation projects from planning stages through to implementation and operational handover.
• Lead workstreams for new country/entity payroll setups, vendor onboarding, provider transitions, system improvements, and payroll migrations.
• Develop and maintain project plans, monitor milestones, assess risks and dependencies, and provide transparent updates to stakeholders.
• Coordinate requirement gathering, configuration, data mapping, and support for testing phases including user acceptance testing, parallel runs, cutover, go-live, and post-launch support.
• Collaborate with HR Technology, IT, Finance, and external vendors to enhance payroll integrations, data transfer processes, reporting, and automation.
• Enhance payroll controls, documentation, and standardize processes to reduce reliance on individual knowledge.
• Ensure accurate, on-time, and compliant payroll delivery for assigned countries/entities, including payroll reviews, approvals, funding coordination, statutory payments, and reconciliations.
• Analyze payroll inputs and outputs, investigate discrepancies, and expedite resolution with vendors and internal partners.
• Manage employee and stakeholder inquiries via various communication channels with prompt, clear responses.
• Review employee separation payments including redundancies, resignations, notice pay, leave entitlements, and other final settlements.
• Collaborate with HR, Legal, Tax, and payroll providers on country-specific compliance, policy changes, and Employment of Record (EOR) matters.
• Maintain knowledge of equity-based payroll elements such as RSUs, ESOPs, private equity, tender offers, and related compliance and reporting.
• Work closely with Finance and Accounting to align payroll elements with general ledger mapping, validate journals, invoices, accruals, and postings.
• Strengthen reconciliation processes among HRIS data, payroll reports, funding files, invoices, journal entries, and financial ledgers.
• Support financial month-end and year-end close activities including payroll cost reporting, budgeting, and variance analysis.
• Maintain comprehensive process documents, checklists, FAQ guides, response templates, and project handover materials.

Candidate Profile

• Minimum eight years of comprehensive payroll experience covering multiple countries, preferably within high-growth tech or fintech companies.
• Proven track record in managing payroll transformation projects such as implementations, migrations, automation, or systems enhancements.
• Strong project management expertise including planning, requirements gathering, stakeholder communication, risk management, and testing coordination.
• Direct experience in payroll setup for new countries/entities and payroll vendor onboarding.
• In-depth knowledge of payroll-to-general ledger mapping, journal validations, reconciliations, and month-end financial closings.
• Familiarity with HRIS, payroll platforms, Finance/ERP systems, banking integrations, treasury operations, and related data workflows.
• Well-versed in statutory payroll compliance, employment tax regulations, and employee termination payments.
• Experience with equity-related payroll compensation and reporting is advantageous.
• Analytical thinker capable of interpreting complex payroll data into actionable insights.
• Clear, confident communicator skilled at collaborating across internal teams and managing external vendors.
• Detail-oriented with strong judgment and discretion managing sensitive payroll information.
• Highly organized, pragmatic, and self-driven, comfortable adapting in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Additional Information

Applicant Safety Policy: Candidates should be aware that Airwallex never requests bank details, sensitive ID information (e.g., passport), or payments in the application or interview process. Official communications are conducted solely via airwallex.com email addresses. Applications should only be submitted through authorized channels.

Equal Opportunity Statement: Airwallex is committed to equal employment opportunities, valuing diversity and ensuring recruitment is based on qualifications, merit, and talent without regard to protected characteristics. Reasonable accommodations are provided on request.