Payroll Consultant MEA at British Council

The Role:

• The Payroll Consultant is responsible for end-to-end payroll processing and compliance across multiple countries within the region. The postholder ensures all payroll activities are executed accurately, timely, and in accordance with statutory, policy, and audit requirements. Operating within the People Services & Solutions (PS&S) shared-services model, this role partners closely with the Managed Service Provider (MSP), Finance, and HR teams to ensure the integrity of payroll data, service excellence, and strong governance.
• The Payroll Consultant also drives process improvements, automation, and continuous-improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and employee experience.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

Payroll Processing

• Manage the end-to-end payroll cycle for assigned countries, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Review and validate employee data from MyHR and other sources to prepare for payroll runs, proactively identifying discrepancies and ensuring data integrity.
• Coordinate with the MSP, Finance, and HR to ensure readiness for payroll processing, approvals, and payment.
• Execute payroll calculations manually (for non-outsourced payrolls) or through vendor systems, verifying outcomes for accuracy.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure payroll operations comply with statutory, tax, and social-security regulations in each country.
• Liaise with government bodies for statutory submissions, inspections, and queries.
• Maintain full documentation for audit readiness and participate actively in internal and external audit reviews

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate daily with the MSP and local payroll vendors to ensure SLA adherence, accuracy, and proactive issue resolution.
• Support quarterly vendor governance meetings and performance reviews
• Collaborate with Finance, Advisory, Reward, and People Data teams to ensure integrated service delivery.

Case Management

• Manage payroll-related queries and tickets through the case-management platform (e.g., C4C), ensuring prompt, professional, and compliant responses.
• Maintain comprehensive case records for audit and reporting.
• Identify recurring issues and propose process improvements to prevent reoccurrence.
• Collaborate with other functions to resolve complex or cross-functional cases impacting payroll accuracy or timelines.

Continuous Improvement & Digital Enablement

• Support automation and standardisation of payroll processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Identify process bottlenecks and recommend actionable improvements.
• Participate in testing and implementation of payroll system upgrades or integrations.
• Maintain payroll SOPs, work instructions, and process maps to ensure procedural consistency and knowledge continuity.

Records & Reporting

• Maintain payroll documentation, reports, and approvals in accordance with British Council’s IGRM and data-protection frameworks.
• Generate and analyse payroll reports to provide insights on trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure all payroll records are securely stored and retrievable for audits and governance reviews.

Teamwork & Collaboration

• Support colleagues during high-volume cycles, absences, or transitions to ensure service continuity.
• Share expertise and provide guidance to junior team members (e.g., Payroll Officers).

Requirements of the role:

• Proven experience managing payroll operations across multiple countries or entities.
• Strong understanding of payroll principles, statutory compliance, taxation, and benefits processing.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll vendors and MSPs in a shared-services environment.
• Proficiency with HRIS and payroll systems (SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle, or equivalent).
• Knowledge of audit and control requirements related to payroll governance.
• Written and verbal proficiency in English

Desirable:

• Experience supporting automation or payroll-system enhancement projects.
• Familiarity with analytics or reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or advanced Excel).
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration with Finance, HR, and IT.