Senior Specialist, Payroll

Job Description

About the Opportunity

The Senior Specialist, APAC Payroll is responsible for owning and delivering accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations across APAC, with a primary focus on Singapore payroll while providing regional support across other APAC markets.

This role goes beyond operational execution. The Senior Specialist acts as a subject matter expert (SME) for assigned markets, ensuring strong statutory compliance, internal controls, audit readiness, and process governance.

The Senior Specialist partners closely with Payroll Managers, Finance, and People & Culture stakeholders to strengthen payroll accuracy, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement within the APAC shared services model.

While complex regulatory or strategic matters are escalated appropriately, this role independently owns payroll cycles, validates controls, and proactively identifies risks and process enhancement opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Ownership & Execution

• Independently own end-to-end payroll cycles for Singapore and assigned APAC markets.
• Validate payroll inputs, statutory deductions, and gross-to-net calculations with high precision.
• Ensure adherence to payroll calendars, cut-offs, and internal control checkpoints.
• Review payroll outputs prior to finalization, ensuring statutory accuracy (CPF, IRAS, SHG, SDL).
• Oversee off-cycle payroll processing (final pay, bonuses, adjustments).
• Act as escalation point for payroll specialists where applicable.

Payroll Compliance & Governance

• Ensure full compliance with Singapore statutory requirements and applicable APAC regulations.
• Oversee preparation and submission of year-end tax reporting (e.g., IR8A, IR21).
• Maintain audit-ready payroll documentation and reconciliation records.
• Identify control gaps and recommend risk mitigation strategies.
• Support internal and external audit reviews, ensuring documentation completeness and accuracy.

Stakeholder & Regional Collaboration

• Serve as key payroll partner to Finance and People & Culture teams.
• Handle complex payroll queries and escalations requiring regulatory interpretation.
• Support cross-market payroll alignment and regional process standardization.
• Provide guidance and knowledge-sharing to junior payroll specialists.
• Contribute to regional payroll governance discussions and improvements.

Process Improvement & Systems

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll accuracy and efficiency.
• Review reconciliation processes and recommend automation or control enhancements.
• Support UAT and system implementation initiatives (regulatory updates, vendor transitions, transformation projects).
• Monitor system integrations and proactively mitigate data risks.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

• 4–6 years of payroll operations experience, with strong Singapore payroll expertise.
• Proven ability to independently manage full payroll cycles.
• Strong understanding of Singapore statutory contributions, tax reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Experience in multi-country or regional payroll environments.
• Exposure to payroll system implementations or process improvement initiatives is a strong advantage.
• Strong understanding of payroll controls and audit requirements.
• High ownership mindset with ability to manage payroll in high-pressure environments.
• Ability to guide and mentor junior payroll team members.

What We Offer

• Ownership of high-impact regional payroll operations.
• Exposure to multi-country payroll governance and transformation initiatives.
• A dynamic and growing APAC shared services environment.
• Professional growth within payroll operations and regional leadership pathways.
• A collaborative and international team environment.

What Success Looks Like

• Independently owns Singapore payroll cycles with minimal supervision.
• Maintains high statutory accuracy and zero high-risk compliance gaps.
• Demonstrates strong control awareness and audit readiness.
• Serves as a trusted SME for payroll-related queries and regulatory matters.
• Proactively identifies process improvement opportunities.
• Supports regional payroll scalability and governance alignment.
• Is viewed as a stable and reliable escalation point within the team.

Additional Information

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!

foodpanda is operated by Delivery Hero Group (“DH Group”) - the world’s leading local delivery platform, operating in 70+ markets across Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. Delivery Hero started as a food delivery service in 2011 and now employs 40,000+ people globally. Additionally, Delivery Hero is pioneering quick commerce, the next generation of e-commerce, aiming to bring groceries and household goods to customers in under one hour and often in 20 to 30 minutes. 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.