Regional Payroll Lead

Job Description

Join Us as a Regional Payroll Lead and Shape the Future of Payroll

We are looking for a payroll leader with a passion for transformation. This is your chance to lead with your peers in a payroll evolution across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, making a significant impact from our growing capability center in Prague.

Purpose of the Position

As a Regional Payroll Lead, you will be a strategic force behind our payroll operations. More than just managing day-to-day processes, you will spearhead the centralization and standardization of our payroll activities while putting AI first at the center of everything we do. Your leadership will be crucial in transitioning our remaining finance-owned payrolls into HR Operations, ensuring stability, efficiency, and excellence as we navigate this exciting period of change.

Welcome to Our Team

You'll be joining a dynamic and forward-thinking HR Operations team at a pivotal moment. We are building a center of excellence in Prague, and you will be a senior and visible operational leader. Our team thrives on collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to simplifying processes and driving impactful change. You will work alongside experts in HR, Finance, and technology, all dedicated to creating a world-class employee experience.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team where everyone feels they belong. We actively encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their background, identity, or life experiences.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead Payroll Transformation: Drive the strategic centralization of payroll activities into our Prague hub, standardizing processes and identifying the potential to use AI tools to reduce manual intervention across multiple countries.

• Guide Through Change: Act as a key change agent, managing the transition of payroll ownership from Finance to HR with clear communication and risk mitigation.

• Develop & Inspire Teams: Provide strong leadership to diverse, multi-country payroll teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and high performance.

• Drive Operational Excellence: Oversee end-to-end payroll operations for the EMEA region, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.

• Innovate & Optimize: Champion process improvement initiatives, identifying opportunities for automation and implementing best practices, including the exploration of AI in payroll.

• Collaborate Across Functions: Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership and partner with HR, Finance, and other stakeholders to align payroll strategy with broader business goals.

• Manage Vendor Relationships: Strategically oversee relationships with external payroll vendors to ensure top-tier service delivery and value.

• Ensure Robust Compliance: Uphold the highest standards of compliance with all local and regional regulations, leading regular audits to ensure data integrity.

Your Profile

• You have a strong foundation in hands-on payroll processing, giving you a practical, in-depth understanding of its complexities. Your experience goes beyond just managing teams to truly knowing the mechanics of payroll.

• You bring proven experience leading large-scale payroll transformation, centralization, or shared services projects in a multi-country environment.

• You are a natural leader who excels at managing change, guiding teams through ambiguity, and inspiring confidence.

• You possess strong technical knowledge of payroll systems (like ADP, Workday, or SAP) and a firm grasp of global payroll laws.

• You are an exceptional communicator and collaborator, capable of building strong relationships with everyone from your direct reports to executive leadership.

• You have a strategic mindset, always looking for ways to improve processes, drive efficiency, and add value.

• You are energized by complexity and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced setting.

• You are curious about the future of payroll, including the potential of AI and automation.

What We Offer

• Exciting work in a great team, global projects, and an international environment.

• Opportunity to learn and grow professionally within the company globally.

• A hybrid working model and flexible role pattern to support work-life balance.

• Comprehensive benefits including pension and health insurance contributions.

• An internal reward system plus a referral program.

• Generous leave policies: 5 weeks annual leave, 5 sick days, 15 days of certified sick leave paid above statutory requirements annually, 40 paid hours annually for volunteering activities, and 12 weeks of parental contribution.

• A "Cafeteria" system for tax-free benefits of your choice (meal vouchers, sport, culture, health, travel, etc.), plus a Multisport Card.

• Employee discount programs (Vodafone, Raiffeisen Bank, Foodora, and more).

• Modern equipment including an up-to-date laptop and iPhone.

• Convenient office amenities like garage parking for drivers and showers for bikers.

• A competitive salary, incentive pay, and many more benefits.

Required Skills:

Analytical Thinking, Change Management, HR Process Design, HR Systems Implementation, Operational Excellence, Payroll Management, Payroll Systems, Process Improvement Projects, Process Improvements, Service Delivery, Stakeholder Satisfaction, Strategic Thinking, Team-Building, Team Management, Vendor Management

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
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:

06/26/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.