Global Payroll Compliance and Governance Manager

Global Payroll Compliance and Governance Manager

Overview of the role:
As our Global Payroll Compliance & Governance Manager, you'll play a key role in ensuring payroll operations across 19 countries remain compliant, accurate, and audit-ready. You'll help shape and embed a global compliance framework, keeping pace with legislative change and driving consistency across systems, processes, and partners. This is a highly visible role where you'll act as the subject matter expert on payroll compliance, supporting regional teams, influencing stakeholders, and helping to mitigate risk while enabling scalable global growth.

Overview of the team:
You'll join a collaborative, globally connected payroll and people function focused on delivering accurate and compliant payroll across multiple regions. The team works closely with HR, Finance, Legal, and external providers to continuously improve processes and strengthen governance. With a strong focus on transformation and standardisation, the team is committed to building scalable, efficient payroll operations that support a growing global organisation.

Office

Location:

Newcastle, Tyne and Wear. Hybrid Working – 3 days per week in our Newcastle OR Winnersh office and 2 days from home.

We're looking for an experienced payroll compliance professional who thrives in a global, fast‑paced environment and enjoys working across multiple jurisdictions.

• Contributing to the development and ongoing management of a global payroll compliance and controls framework.
• Governing RACI models to ensure clear ownership and accountability across payroll activities.
• Conducting regular compliance audits aligned to statutory requirements and internal controls (including SOX).
• Monitoring global legislative changes and ensuring timely and accurate implementation across payroll operations.
• Acting as the primary contact for payroll‑related audits and managing remediation plans.
• Ensuring all statutory filings, payments, and reporting obligations are met in each jurisdiction.
• Managing relationships with global payroll vendors to ensure compliance and service delivery expectations are achieved.
• Providing guidance and training to internal teams and external partners on compliance best practice.
• Supporting payroll transformation and system change initiatives by embedding compliance requirements.
• Driving continuous improvement through automation, standardisation, and global reporting (KPIs and dashboards).

• Extensive experience in global payroll, ideally across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas.
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation, and statutory reporting requirements.
• Experience building or maintaining payroll compliance frameworks and governance models.
• Solid understanding of audit processes and internal controls.
• Ability to interpret complex legislative changes and communicate them clearly to varied audiences.
• Experience working with multi‑country payroll providers (e.g. ADP, NGA, Ceridian).
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at senior level.

• Payroll qualifications (e.g. CIPP, FPC, CPP) or equivalent experience.
• Experience with global HRIS and payroll systems.
• SOX compliance exposure.
• Experience supporting large‑scale payroll transformation initiatives.

Benefits include generous bonuses and a pension scheme:
Up to 8% matched pension contribution plus 2% top‑up by Sage.

Paid leave: 25 days of paid annual leave with the option to buy up to another 5 days; 8 bank holiday days; 5 days yearly paid to volunteer through the Sage Foundation; 50% income protection.

Other benefits:
Holiday buy/sell; comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage; work‑away scheme up to 10 weeks a year; ongoing training and professional development; hybrid working;
Healthy Mind app membership; access to various helpful memberships for finances, health and wellbeing.