Specialist/Senior Specialist, Payroll (APAC)

foodpanda is part of the Delivery Hero Group, the world’s pioneering local delivery platform, our mission is to deliver an amazing experience—fast, easy, and to your door. We operate in around 65 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2017 and is part of the MDAX stock market index.

Payroll Operations & Execution

• Support and/or independently manage end-to-end payroll processing activities across assigned APAC markets.

• Collect, validate, and process payroll inputs including allowances, deductions, bonuses, commissions, overtime, leave adjustments, and other payroll-related transactions.

• Review payroll data for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with payroll calendars and cut-off timelines.

• Validate gross-to-net calculations, payroll outputs, and statutory deductions prior to payroll finalization.

• Manage off-cycle payroll activities including final payments, salary adjustments, incentives, and correction runs.

• Perform payroll reconciliations and investigate discrepancies, ensuring timely resolution and escalation where required.

• Ensure payroll activities are completed in accordance with established payroll controls, SOPs, and service level expectations.

Payroll Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with statutory, tax, social security, pension, and labor-related payroll requirements across supported APAC markets.

• Prepare, review, and maintain payroll documentation including tax forms, contribution reports, year-end reporting, employment termination documentation, and other statutory submissions.

• Maintain accurate payroll records in accordance with audit, compliance, and data privacy requirements.

• Support internal and external payroll audits by ensuring documentation, reconciliations, and control evidence are complete and audit-ready.

• Identify payroll risks, control gaps, and compliance concerns, escalating and recommending mitigation actions where appropriate.

Stakeholder Management & Employee Support

• Serve as a key point of contact for payroll-related employee inquiries and stakeholder requests.

• Provide accurate and timely guidance on payroll calculations, statutory deductions, tax reporting, and payroll policies.

• Collaborate with People & Culture, Finance, Accounting, Treasury, and external payroll providers to resolve payroll-related issues.

• Manage escalations professionally and ensure a positive employee experience through effective issue resolution.

• Build strong working relationships with regional stakeholders to support payroll delivery and governance objectives.

Payroll Reporting & Reconciliation

• Prepare and review payroll reports, variance analyses, reconciliation reports, and management reporting as required.

• Perform month-end payroll reconciliations and support Finance during payroll accounting activities.

• Analyze payroll trends, recurring issues, and operational risks to improve payroll accuracy and efficiency.

• Support reporting requirements for audits, compliance reviews, and business stakeholders.

Process Improvement & Systems Support

• Contribute to payroll process standardization, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives across APAC.

• Support payroll transformation projects, system implementations, and payroll vendor transitions.

• Participate in User Acceptance Testing (UAT), regression testing, and payroll validation activities for system enhancements and regulatory changes.

• Monitor payroll system integrations, interfaces, and data flows, proactively identifying and mitigating risks.

• Recommend improvements to controls, workflows, and reporting processes to enhance operational effectiveness.

Knowledge Sharing & Team Collaboration

• Share payroll knowledge, best practices, and process updates with team members and stakeholders.

• Support onboarding and training of new payroll team members where required.

• Contribute to regional payroll governance forums, operational reviews, and process documentation maintenance.

• Act as a payroll SME for assigned markets and support regional payroll initiatives as required.

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Experience in payroll operations within a shared services, regional, or multinational environment.

• Working knowledge of payroll regulations, statutory requirements, and payroll controls.

• Experience supporting one or more APAC payroll markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, or Hong Kong.

• Strong analytical and reconciliation skills with high attention to detail.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and payroll reporting tools.

• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• Experience with regional payroll platforms and HRIS systems (e.g., Ramco, Workday, SAP, or equivalent).

• Exposure to payroll transformation, system implementation, or payroll migration projects.

• Experience supporting payroll audits and compliance reviews.

• Multi-country payroll experience within APAC.

About the Opportunity

The APAC Payroll Specialist / Senior Specialist is responsible for supporting and delivering accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations across multiple APAC markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, and other assigned countries within the region.

This role may be based in Malaysia, Philippines, or Hong Kong, and operates within a regional shared services environment supporting a diverse APAC workforce.

This role plays a critical part in ensuring payroll accuracy, statutory compliance, payroll governance, and a positive employee experience. The incumbent partners closely with Payroll Managers, People & Culture teams, Finance, external payroll vendors, and business stakeholders to execute payroll operations, maintain strong controls, resolve payroll issues, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Depending on experience and level, the role may independently own end-to-end payroll cycles for assigned markets, act as a subject matter expert (SME), support regional payroll projects, and contribute to payroll transformation and governance initiatives across APAC.

 What We Offer

• A dynamic and challenging work environment.
• A company committed to developing you personally and professionally.
• A great working atmosphere with regular company and team events.
• A vibrant and international team committed to diversity and inclusion.
• Responsibility from day one in a fast growing and global company.
• Other benefits include free food, health and dental insurance, and learning and development opportunities!

Our parent company, Delivery Hero, is a global leader in the food delivery industry processing over 3 million orders every day and operating in 40+ markets in the world, with 18,000 employees and approximately 500,000+ restaurant partners.