Payroll Manager

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for multiple Japanese and multinational clients.
• Ensure payroll accuracy, confidentiality, timeliness, and statutory compliance.
• Oversee monthly, semi-monthly, weekly, and off-cycle payroll processing.
• Review tax deductions, social insurance contributions, payroll reconciliations, statutory filings, and audit requirements.
• Manage payroll calendars, SLAs, escalations, and issue resolution.

Japanese Payroll Compliance

Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, including:

• Income Tax and Resident Tax
• Social, Health, Pension, Employment, and Labour Insurance
• Year-End Tax Adjustment
• Japanese Labour Standards Act
• My Number requirements
• Personal Information Protection Act

Client and Service Management

• Act as the primary contact for assigned payroll outsourcing clients.
• Conduct regular business reviews and maintain strong client relationships.
• Monitor client satisfaction, contractual deliverables, and SLA performance.
• Recommend payroll process improvements and identify service expansion opportunities.
• Support client transitions, onboarding, and implementation projects.

Pre-Sales and Solution Consulting

• Support payroll proposals, RFPs, RFIs, and client presentations.
• Participate in discovery sessions and analyse client payroll requirements.
• Develop Statements of Work, implementation plans, and service-model recommendations.
• Provide payroll subject-matter expertise during sales pursuits.

Leadership and Continuous Improvement

• Lead, coach, and develop payroll specialists and team leaders.
• Manage workforce planning, performance, and resource allocation.
• Drive automation, process optimisation, operational excellence, and risk-control initiatives.
• Promote Lean, Six Sigma, and Continuous Service Improvement practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 8–12 years of payroll experience, including at least 3–5 years managing payroll teams.
• Strong experience in payroll outsourcing, BPO, HR outsourcing, shared services, or managed payroll operations.
• In-depth knowledge of Japanese payroll legislation and statutory compliance.
• Experience managing payroll for Japanese and multinational organisations.
• Proven client-facing account management and stakeholder-management experience.
• Experience in payroll implementation, transition, pre-sales, or solution design is highly desirable.
• Strong leadership, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Language Requirements

• Native or business-level Japanese, preferably JLPT N1 or equivalent.
• Professional business English, both written and spoken.
• Ability to conduct meetings, presentations, and negotiations in Japanese and English.

Technical Skills

• Payroll platforms such as SAP HCM Payroll, Workday Payroll, Oracle HCM, ADP, TMF, SD Worx, Ramco, or equivalent.
• HRIS platforms and payroll reporting tools.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel.
• Power BI, CRM platforms, Microsoft Office, and project-management tools.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Payroll Professional or equivalent
• Fundamental Payroll Certification
• HR or Payroll Professional Certification
• PMP or PRINCE2
• Lean Six Sigma
• ITIL Foundation
• Continuous Service Improvement certification

Key Success Measures

• Payroll accuracy of at least 99.8%
• On-time payroll delivery and SLA achievement
• Positive client satisfaction and retention
• Successful onboarding of new clients
• Compliance and audit performance
• Process automation and service-improvement results
• Development of a high-performing payroll operations team