Payroll - Process Lead

About the Function:

Global Business Operations keeps our business moving, connecting markets, streamlining processes and keeping everything running smoothly at scale.

With teams across Bangalore, Budapest, Bogotá, Gurugram, and Manila, GBO delivers the essential services that support our day-to-day performance, from finance to operations and beyond. It’s a truly global environment, where collaboration across time zones and cultures is part of everyday life.

You’ll gain exposure to different markets, build skills for the future and develop a broad understanding of how a business operates at scale. It’s a great place to learn, grow and see the bigger picture.

About the team:

About the role:

The Process Lead is responsible for leading payroll operations across assigned EMEA markets, ensuring payroll services delivered through outsourced payroll providers are accurate, timely, compliant, and provide an exceptional employee experience.

This is a hands-on operational leadership role where the individual will manage one or more payrolls while providing governance and operational oversight across the wider payroll portfolio. The role partners closely with outsourced payroll vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure payroll delivery meets agreed service levels, complies with statutory requirements, and aligns with Diageo's global payroll standards.

The Process Lead also supports payroll transformation initiatives, drives operational excellence, strengthens payroll controls, and acts as the first point of escalation for complex payroll issues.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

Lead end-to-end payroll operations for assigned EMEA payrolls.

Coordinate payroll activities with outsourced payroll providers.

Ensure payroll calendars and critical breakthroughs are delivered on time.

Manage payroll readiness activities throughout the payroll cycle.

Support off-cycle and ad hoc payroll processing where required.

Payroll Governance & Quality Assurance

Review payroll inputs and payroll outputs before payroll sign-off.

Perform second-level validation of payroll reconciliations and variance reports.

Review high-risk payroll transactions including incentives, termination payments, retro payments, and statutory payments.

Ensure payroll quality standards are consistently achieved.

Support payroll sign-off and payment approval activities.

Vendor Management

Build strong operational relationships with outsourced payroll providers.

Monitor payroll partner performance against agreed KPIs and SLAs.

Conduct operational governance meetings.

Review Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Corrective & Preventive Actions (CAPA).

Drive continuous improvements in vendor performance and service quality.

Payroll Controls & Compliance

Ensure payroll activities align with statutory requirements and company policies.

Complete and review payroll controls in accordance with internal governance frameworks.

Support internal and external audits.

Maintain payroll documentation and control evidence.

Ensure segregation of duties and compliance with payroll approval processes.

Customer Management

Partner with HR Operations, Reward, Finance, Treasury, Employment Tax, Global Mobility, and First Point teams.

Provide payroll expertise and operational guidance to business stakeholders.

Manage complex payroll critical issues.

Ensure effective communication throughout the payroll lifecycle.

Operational Performance

Monitor Payroll Accuracy, Payroll Timeliness, Query SLA, and operational KPIs.

Analyse payroll performance trends and identify improvement opportunities.

Drive timely resolution of payroll issues and operational risks.

Support leadership reporting through operational dashboards and performance metrics.

Team Support & Knowledge Sharing

Provide functional guidance and coaching to Payroll Specialists.

Support onboarding and knowledge transfer.

Share standard methodologies across the payroll team.

Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Continuous Improvement & Transformation

See opportunities to simplify and standardise payroll processes.

Support payroll transformation initiatives, vendor transitions, and system enhancements.

Participate in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for payroll-related changes.

Drive automation and process optimisation initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline.

5–8 years of payroll operations experience supporting multiple EMEA countries.

Experience working with outsourced payroll providers.

Strong understanding of payroll governance, controls, and compliance.

Experience with Workday and payroll ticketing/case management systems.

Advanced Microsoft Excel and payroll reporting skills.

Experience supporting payroll audits and regulatory compliance.

Skills & Capabilities

Payroll Expertise

Multi-country payroll operations

Payroll validation and reconciliation

Payroll governance

Payroll controls and compliance

Payroll reporting and analytics

Vendor & Customer Management

Vendor governance

SLA and KPI management

Cross-functional customer management

Issue management

Process Improvement

Continuous improvement

Process standardisation

Automation

Payroll transformation

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Behavioural Competencies

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Excellent communication and customer management

High attention to detail

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Customer-focused mentality

Strong ownership and accountability

Success Measures

The successful candidate will be measured on:

Payroll Accuracy

Payroll Timeliness

Query SLA Performance

Payroll Partner KPI & SLA Achievement

Compliance with Payroll Controls

Employee Experience

Audit Readiness

Customer Satisfaction

Continuous Improvement & Automation Outcomes

Role Responsibilities:

Experience / skills required:

Flexible Working Statement:

Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you, so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.

Rewards & Benefits Statement: 

We recognise and value performance, offering our people a highly competitive Rewards and Benefits package including:

Diversity statement:

Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.

We adopt diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, miattitudesand more.

Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to new heights and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.

Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you.

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you gain this information when you submit your application.