Senior Payroll Officer - EMEA

At Aristocrat, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality outcomes that build lasting value for our customers and partners. Our collaborative culture, grounded in accountability, improvement, and partnership, drives our success. This pivotal role within our EMEA Finance Operations ensures payroll precision, compliance, and control, which are crucial to maintaining employee trust and financial integrity.

As a Senior Payroll Officer, you will manage payroll delivery across multiple EMEA jurisdictions using our ADP platform and Employer of Record providers. This is an outstanding opportunity to operate in an energetic, multinational environment, contribute to global payroll transformation, and be part of a world-class team!

What You'll Do

• Own end-to-end EMEA payroll delivery via ADP and EOR vendors, ensuring accuracy, compliance, confidentiality, and timely completion across all in-scope countries.
• Serve as the authoritative subject matter expert on EMEA payroll legislation, taxation, social security, and statutory obligations, advising workforce operations, employee relations, financial services, legal, and senior business collaborators.
• Lead vendor governance for ADP along with EOR service providers, including SLA management, performance reviews, addressing partner concerns, contractual compliance, commercial oversight, and continuous service improvement.
• Hold final review and control sign-off on payroll inputs and outputs, including new hires, terminations, salary changes, bonuses, allowances, benefits, equity, and contractual updates, ensuring zero-defect delivery prior to pay date.
• Lead complex payroll analyses, including gross-to-net reconciliations, variance investigations, root-cause analysis, and remediation, embedding lessons learned into process and control build.
• Own EMEA payroll reporting, analytics, and insights, delivering outputs that advise management decisions, financial control, workforce cost analysis, and Board-level reporting.
• Lead payroll audits and internal control frameworks for EMEA.
• Act as the primary contact for internal and external auditors.
• Ensure a clean, evidenced control environment.
• Drive month-end and year-end payroll close, including GL reconciliations, accruals, intercompany recharges, statutory filings, and journal ownership in partnership with Finance.
• Govern EOR commercials and performance, supervising invoicing, SLAs, cost drivers, and contractual alignment to protect the business and optimize value.
• Champion payroll transformation, leading automation, standardization, vendor consolidation, system improvements, and global process development initiatives that scale Aristocrat's payroll capability.
• Collaborate strategically with HR, People & Culture, Finance, Treasury, Tax, Legal, and external providers to provide a unified, compliant, and future-ready payroll operation.
• Mentor, coach, and develop junior payroll team members, improving capability, accountability, and execution standards across the team.
• Continuously observe and assess regulatory developments across EMEA territories, advising timely and compliant application alongside ADP and EOR partners.
• Act as the Payroll Manager’s delegate, representing EMEA payroll in cross-functional, regional, and global leadership forums.

What We're Looking For

• Over 7 years of advancing payroll experience, with extensive knowledge in complex, multi-country EMEA settings managed through ADP and EOR providers.
• Comprehensive understanding of EMEA payroll regulations, tax obligations, social insurance, statutory reporting, and compliance frameworks across multiple jurisdictions.
• Professional payroll qualification (CIPP, GPA, or equivalent local accreditation) strongly preferred.
• Hands-on expertise with ADP payroll platforms (e.g., ADP Celergo, ADP GlobalView, or ADP Streamline) is required; Workday HCM experience is highly regarded.
• Proven track record leading third-party payroll vendors and EOR relationships, including SLA governance, commercial oversight, blocking issue management, and performance optimization.
• Strong experience operating with internal controls, and audit environments in a multinational, publicly listed company.
• Demonstrated leadership in payroll transformation - automation, standardization, system implementation, M&A integration, or vendor consolidation.
• Advanced analytical capability, including reconciliations, payroll modelling, executive reporting, and data-driven decision-making.
• Sharp problem-solving and decision-making approach - comfortable navigating ambiguity, prioritizing risk, and driving outcomes.
• Demonstrated success mentoring, coaching, and developing junior team members, with the ambition to grow into a future payroll leadership role.
• Highly independent, capable of handling challenging priorities, tight deadlines, and critical deliverables in a fast-paced global environment.
• Unwavering integrity and discretion in handling highly sensitive payroll and employee data.
• Executive-level collaborator management and communication skills, with the gravitas to influence across functions, levels, and geographies.
• Proficient English required; Polish language skills highly advantageous.
• Hybrid working model - currently 3 days per week in the office.

This job description may have been reviewed and enhanced using AI-assisted tools to improve clarity, consistency, and inclusivity. All final content, role requirements and hiring decisions remain subject to human review and approval by Aristocrat.

Compensation Philosophy

We offer a comprehensive pay and benefits package designed to stay competitive in the market, support your wellbeing, and recognise your contribution to our success. Our approach is underpinned by a pay-for-performance belief in rewarding individual impact. Your specific compensation package will be determined by factors such as your skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

Depending on your role and location, you may be eligible for annual bonuses and incentives, health and wellbeing benefits, paid time off, retirement plans, insurance coverage, and other local or statutory benefits.

Specific details about compensation and benefits for this position will be discussed during the recruitment process.