Senior Payroll Specialist

About the role

As a Senior Payroll Specialist, you will own the preparation and delivery of accurate, compliant payroll data across Helsing's international entities, with a particular focus on the DACH region. Working closely with the Payroll Team Lead, HR, and Finance, you will ensure payroll infrastructure scales with the company as it grows, leading on statutory compliance, acting as the primary escalation point for complex payroll matters, and driving process improvement through automation and HRIS integration.

What you'll do

• Prepare and consolidate payroll data across multiple entities and regions, ensuring all inputs delivered to external tax advisers are accurate, complete, and submitted on time
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll queries, resolving issues with care, precision, and clear communication
• Partner with external payroll vendors, Steuerberater, and BPO providers to safeguard data integrity and hold service-level agreements to account
• Maintain and enforce compliance with local statutory obligations — including wage tax, social security, and labour law — with particular depth across Germany and the wider DACH region
• Lead Helsing's contribution to month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes, collaborating with Finance and Accounting on reconciliations and audit readiness
• Identify and implement process improvements that reduce manual effort, increase accuracy, and strengthen payroll infrastructure through automation and HRIS integration
• Mentor and guide junior payroll specialists, contributing to a team culture defined by rigour, transparency, and continuous improvement

What you'll need

• Built and managed preparatory payroll operations across multiple entities and jurisdictions, including within high-growth or scaling organisations, with experience working alongside external payroll processors or tax advisers
• Deep, working knowledge of payroll compliance, tax obligations, and statutory requirements — with particular expertise in German and DACH-region regulation
• Track record of managing relationships with external payroll providers and holding vendors accountable to agreed standards
• Fluent communication in both German and English — written and spoken — and comfortable engaging with local authorities, international stakeholders, and colleagues at all levels
• Systems mindset: you spot inefficiencies, understand their downstream impact, and take initiative to fix them
• Precision and reliability that means colleagues and leadership trust payroll to simply work

Nice to have

• Hands-on experience with DATEV Personal Online and/or HRIS platforms such as HiBob
• Background in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related discipline — whether through formal study or equivalent practical experience
• Payroll or tax certifications that demonstrate continued professional development in the field

What they offer

• Competitive salary and VSOP options
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance
• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health)
• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers