Payroll Operations Specialist

The life sciences industry plays a significant role in advancing healthcare and improving the quality of life - in many cases, saving millions of lives globally. At BASE life science, this is the motivation for everything we do, aimed at pushing boundaries, seeking excellence, and making a lasting difference through consulting expertise and data-driven solutions.

Who is BASE life science?

Founded in 2007, BASE life science is a business and technology consulting enterprise working exclusively in the life sciences industry.

From our headquarters in Denmark and offices in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, we serve customers across the globe. With a deep understanding of the life sciences industry, we work hand in hand with customers to identify, develop, and implement strategic initiatives that drive growth, efficiency, and overall success through tailored solutions.

Our partnership with industry-leading solution providers, including Veeva, Salesforce, IQVIA, Benchling, and MediSpend ensures that our clients harness the full potential of the most innovative solutions on the market.

About the role

We are looking for a motivated and structured Payroll Operations Specialist to join our Finance team in Copenhagen.

In this role, you will be responsible for the day-to-day payroll operations across multiple countries, including Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, the UK, the US, Germany, and Switzerland, working closely with external payroll service providers and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery.

The role focuses on operational excellence, process consistency, and continuous improvement within payroll operations. You will contribute to ongoing process optimization initiatives and support the scaling of payroll processes.

You will be part of the Finance team consisting of six colleagues based in Copenhagen and Barcelona. Together with other teams within Enabling Areas, we support BASE across Finance, IT, People & Culture, and general business operations on an international level. We are a diverse team with different backgrounds and areas of expertise, united by a shared ambition to support the business and enable sustainable growth. We value collaboration, ownership, and development, and you will have the opportunity to grow your skills through close collaboration with experienced colleagues and our internal mentoring setup.

As a Payroll Operations Specialist your responsibilities include:

• Manage day-to-day payroll operations in collaboration with external payroll service providers, including preparation and validation of payroll input.
• Coordinate monthly payroll activities to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing.
• Act as the primary point of contact between internal stakeholders (HR, Finance) and external payroll partners.
• Ensure payroll accuracy and compliance with local regulations, while supporting continuous improvement of payroll processes.
• Handle salary-related inquiries from employees, including questions related to holidays, pensions, benefits, and tax deductions.
• Ensure high-quality time, attendance, and absence reporting in close collaboration with HR.
• Perform payroll reconciliations and ensure accurate posting and reconciliation of payroll-related balance sheet accounts.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities related to payroll, ensuring accurate and timely reporting.
• Contribute to process optimization initiatives and support ongoing business and system transformation projects.
• Maintain payroll documentation, procedures, and internal controls to support audit and compliance requirements.

What makes you the best person for this job? 

• Minimum 4–5 years of experience in payroll operations or a similar role.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Solid understanding of payroll processes, tax reconciliation, and relevant payroll legislation.
• Experience working with external payroll providers; experience in a global or multi-country setup is an advantage.
• Knowledge of Danish payroll and tax regulations; Nordic payroll experience is considered a plus.
• Strong attention to detail with a structured and process-oriented mindset.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to explain complex topics in a clear and understandable way.
• Comfortable working with deadlines while maintaining a high level of quality.
• Strong communication skills and a service-oriented mindset.
• Fluent level of English and Danish is a must.

What makes us the best employer for you?

BASE life science has been recognized as an outstanding workplace, earning us the Great Place To Work certification in Spain, Germany, Switzerland, United States and the United Kingdom.

We are proud to represent 35+ nationalities among our colleagues, and firmly believe in the power of diverse perspectives and characteristics to drive truly innovative solutions and achieving excellence.

At the heart of our organization lies a foundation grounded in five core values: team spirit, trust, openness, ambition, and execution. We cultivate an environment that champions flexibility, placing confidence in our employees to successfully complete tasks while upholding a healthy work-life balance. Additionally, we place significance in cross-functional collaboration, where niche skills and specialisms are valued and challenging the status quo is encouraged.

Additionally, we offer you: 

• Health insurance.
• Remote work friendliness.
• Ongoing learning and development.
• Flexible schedules to fit your work to your routine.
• Contributions to physical, social, and emotional health.
• Home office setup with laptop and other electronic devices.
• The chance to help make a difference for patients around the world.

Interested?    

If you find this position intriguing, don't delay—submit your application in English at your earliest convenience. We are continuously reviewing and assessing all incoming candidates and eagerly await your application.

By submitting your application, you consent to the processing of your personal data by BASE life science for the purposes of recruitment and selection. This includes the collection, storage, and use of your personal data as outlined in our Privacy Policy.