Senior Payroll Specialist (GCC)

Overview

Own the monthly payroll cycle across the GCC, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with Egypt and Jordan, managing multiple EOR partners per country and acting as the main point of contact for them.

What you'll do

• Own the monthly payroll cycle: collect client inputs by the cutoff, send them to partners, and get outputs and invoices back on a tight timeline.
• Deliver accurate client invoice breakdowns to Finance by their monthly deadline.
• Manage EOR partners: set clear timelines with each partner, chase early, and push back when needed.
• Review partner invoices, payroll outputs, and immigration-related costs; reconcile them, spot errors, and resolve them before anything is billed or paid.
• Plan funding backwards from payday with Finance so partners receive funds in time, accounting for cross-border transfer times.
• Resolve discrepancies and employee queries through to resolution, and flag blockers to your Team Lead as soon as they appear.
• Make sure banking details, payroll profiles, and visa and immigration requirements are in place before an employee's first pay run.
• Spot recurring partner issues and workflow gaps, share them with Product and Operations, and help document processes that scale as headcount grows.

What you'll need

• 5 years+ in payroll operations.
• Ideally at least 2 years in an EOR or global payroll environment.
• A clear understanding of how EOR works: the partner is the legal employer, funds must reach them before payday, and timelines run backwards from there.
• Hands-on experience managing EOR partners or third-party payroll providers.
• Experience reviewing payroll outputs and payroll invoices for accuracy.
• Highly organised, able to prioritise when every deadline lands in the same week.
• Independent: able to own your countries without needing every step checked.
• Advanced written and spoken English, with the ability to explain technical payroll topics in plain language.
• Willing to work Gulf Standard Time (Dubai) hours.

Nice to have

• Arabic, which is a strong plus.
• Payroll experience in the GCC or APAC, including visa and immigration costs.
• Experience in a high-volume, multi-client payroll environment.
• Experience with payroll platforms, HRIS, or operational systems.

Details

• Location: India; Philippines; Egypt; South Africa; Morocco.
• Reports to the Payroll Team Lead for APAC & GCC.
• Working hours: Gulf Standard Time (Dubai) hours.