Payroll Team Lead - 18 Months

Job Type:

Fixed Term

Build a brilliant future with Hiscox
 

We are looking for a Payroll Interim Lead to support the EU Payroll Manager during a key transition period, ensuring continuity, operational stability, and high-quality payroll delivery across the European payroll landscape.

This role is critical in maintaining business continuity while providing hands-on operational leadership, coordination, and expertise to the payroll function. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting day-to-day operations, driving prioritisation, ensuring compliance, and partnering closely with internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee payroll operations across designated entities, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, compliance, and a high standard of service delivery.
• Support the coordination, planning, and prioritisation of the EU Payroll team’s day-to-day activities, ensuring effective workload management and adherence to critical deadlines.
• Act as a key operational partner to local and regional payroll teams, providing guidance and hands-on support on day-to-day payroll matters.
• Support the resolution of complex payroll cases, including off-cycle payments, terminations, audits, and escalations, ensuring appropriate risk management and governance.
• Maintain strong relationships with external payroll providers and collaborate closely with internal stakeholders across HR, Finance, Tax, and wider business functions.
• Ensure robust operational controls are maintained and support monthly reporting and payroll validation activities.
• Contribute to ongoing payroll and transformation projects while ensuring operational continuity and minimal business disruption.
• Foster a collaborative, solution-oriented, and high-performing team environment during a period of change.

Profile

• Strong payroll experience, ideally within a multinational and/or European environment.
• Previous experience in interim assignments, payroll transitions, or regional payroll support functions is highly valued.
• Good understanding of labour law, payroll legislation, and tax regulations in Portugal and/or other European countries.
• Proven experience coordinating operational activities and supporting teams in fast-paced environments.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders effectively.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent English is essential; additional European languages are an advantage.
• Delivery-focused mindset with a strong sense of accountability and customer orientation.
• Collaborative, adaptable, empathetic, and resilient team player with a proactive approach.

Work with amazing people and be part of a unique culture