Payroll & Benefits Specialist, Asia Pacific

Job Description

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Payroll & Benefits Specialist to support end-to-end payroll operations for Indonesia and end-to-end benefits administration across multiple APAC markets. You will work closely with internal HR partners, Payroll, Compensation & Benefits, HR Systems teams, as well as external vendors (e.g., payroll vendors, insurers, brokers, TPAs) to ensure programmes are administered accurately, compliantly, and with a strong focus on employee experience.

This is a hands-on role ideal for a payroll and benefits professional who enjoys operational ownership, regional exposure, and continuous improvement in a structured shared services environment.

What You Will Do

 A. Indonesia Payroll Administration (approximately 40%)

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for Indonesia, including salary calculations, overtime, allowances, deductions, net pay validation, and payslip distribution.

• Ensure payroll operations comply with Indonesian statutory and labor law requirements, including payroll reporting, tax withholding, statutory benefits, and audit support.

• Administer payroll data setup and maintenance, validate source data, and coordinate with payroll vendors or service providers to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing.

• Manage payroll reconciliations, payroll accounting inputs, GL posting preparation, month-end payroll close activities, and related finance coordination.

• Support administration of payroll-related activities such as absence impacts, full and final settlement, statutory documentation, and payroll record retention.

• Coordinate with local HR, Finance, and third-party payroll vendors to resolve payroll exceptions, employee cases, and escalations.

• Support payroll-related system changes, including data mapping, testing, UAT, and implementation activities that impact Indonesia payroll.

 B. AP Benefits Administration & Employee Support (approximately 40%)

• Administer APAC benefits programs (medical, life/disability, wellness, allowances, retirement, and market-specific benefits).

• Manage benefits enrollments and lifecycle changes (new hires/dependents, beneficiary updates) in line with policy and local regulations.

• Provide employee support on benefits coverage, enrollment, and claims; support onboarding and benefits communications.

• Manage benefits vendors (insurers, brokers, TPAs), ensuring service delivery, issue resolution, and SLA adherence; partner with HR/Payroll/C&B/HRIS for smooth end-to-end processes.

• Ensure governance and control through audits, reconciliations, compliance, reporting support, documentation/SOPs, and strict confidentiality of employee data.

 E. Regional Projects & Continuous Improvement (approximately 20%)

• Support regional benefits initiatives such as system implementations, vendor transitions, centralisation, and process improvement efforts.

• Participate in project activities including data validation, user acceptance testing (UAT), cutover support, and post-go-live stabilisation.

• Identify recurring operational issues and recommend practical improvements to enhance service quality, efficiency, and employee experience.

• Support additional HR Operations projects and initiatives as required.

 What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or a related discipline.

• 3–5 years of experience in payroll and benefits, with hands-on Indonesia payroll expertise and strong exposure to regional benefits processes.

• Strong knowledge of Indonesian payroll legislation, including statutory deductions, tax, social security, and compliance requirements.

• Experience working with vendors (payroll vendors, insurers, brokers, TPAs) and in a multinational/shared services environment.

• Experience supporting system implementations/transitions, payroll/benefits integrations, UAT, reconciliations, and process documentation.

• Proficiency with payroll/HCM/benefits systems such as Workday and strong Excel capability.

• Intermediate Excel skills, including VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and PivotTables.  

• Fluent in Bahasa Indonesia and English, both written and spoken.

 Key Skills & Attributes

• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and follow-through.

• Strong service mindset with a focus on employee experience.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with regional/local stakeholders.

• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

• Strong problem-solving, root cause analysis, and change support capability.

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Business Administration, Data Analysis, Employee Benefits Communication, Employee Development, HR Analytics, HR Shared Services, HR Systems Implementation, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Human Resource Management, Human Resource Tools, Labor and Employment Law, Payroll Management, Payroll Reporting, Payroll Tax Compliance, Process Improvements, Project Management, Psychology, Service Improvement, Shared Services, Shared Services Implementation, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Vendor Management, Wage Garnishments, Workforce Planning

Preferred Skills:

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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

06/30/2026

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