Payroll Specialist

Job Purpose

To support the Payroll Manager in leading the payroll process for assigned areas of business, ensuring that all employees are paid accurately and on time, while complying with company policies and procedures, local labor regulations & tax laws. As a specialist in the Payroll function, analyze, review, and recommend improvements in current practices & system processes with a focus on confidentiality, enhancing customer satisfaction and efficiency.

The role requires a strong understanding of HR system architecture, configuration management, and troubleshooting of business-critical applications. The incumbent must possess the ability to assess the operational, compliance, and downstream impacts of any system configuration change before implementation. The individual should demonstrate sound judgment in evaluating system risks, performing impact analysis, conducting testing and validation activities, and ensuring that all changes are implemented through a controlled and documented change-management process to maintain system integrity and business continuity.

Key Result Responsibilities

• Conducts the payroll activities & related data analysis for the assigned business areas, ensuring timely and accurate performance in accordance with adopted policies and procedures. Coordinates with Line Managers, HR Managers, and the Finance Department on all necessary approvals and wavers in due course.
• Conducts regular analysis of current payroll practices and system processes, identify & recommend areas for improvement & efficiency, and collaborate closely with the IT department to implement approved changes.
• Cross verifies & processes all requests and system transactions related to payroll which includes, new joiners, advance payments, claims, deductions, adjustments, increments, upgrades, contractual bonds, incentives & bonuses etc., to ensure all data, benefits, and pay criteria are as per employment agreement and in line with Company’s policies and procedures.
• Conducts post-payroll checks and extracts necessary reports from HR system to cross-verify and reflect changes in the payroll system, coordinates with IT for any corrective actions in system.
• Generates & reconcile journal voucher post-payroll and submit to Finance for payroll costing.
• Prepares the “Recharge” reports to be sent to Finance Department to debit the Hubs’ accounts with any fixed/variable due charges ensuring they are processed against right cost centers.
• Executes necessary adjustments to resolve discrepancies and ensures the payroll is released only after the required verifications are done taking into consideration the respective currencies and designated banks.
• Checks the upload of the payroll transfer to the designated bank account ensuring the transfer is accurately and timely executed.
• Monitors & verifies all End of Service (EOS) calculations and formalities and obtains necessary approval for release of EOS.
• Validates the eligibility and processes transactions of the “Education” reimbursements and “Housing” payments carried by payroll team members; ensures payments are reflected in the system and recorded based on actual receipts.
• Monitors the records of the attendance system on a monthly basis to highlight any irregularities.
• Collects the overtime information from departments, calculates the overtime payments and processes via the monthly payroll.
• Ensures necessary data and evidence for leave (annual, sick, etc.), credit hours, training and absence are obtained to tally with records; obtains necessary approvals on exceptions from authorized parties and validates for processing.
• Ensure necessary System Interfaces are carried out timely and efficiently and coordinates with Stakeholders for resolution and corrective actions.
• Guides, coaches and share knowledge & expertise with other HR team members to carry out their work effectively and productively and for continuous improvements.
• Monitors & regularly checks that all data repositories /transactions are accurate, well managed & securely stored in the system, ensuring that there is no leakage of information.
• Ensures that payroll operations records and necessary documents are maintained & updated for different purposes.
• Processes all transactions related to payment requests that come from other departments/sections and confirms accuracy of the data & calculations. Raises queries/ challenges information and payouts if/ when it does not conform to policies and logic.
• Provides necessary support to facilitate audit checks; ensures availability, update, and compliance of related documents, reports, attendance sheets and records with the approved standards.
• Generates from the HR/Payroll system function related and prepares ad-hoc financial reports to be utilized by HR team and Management for different purposes.
  
  

People Management

• Provides direction, coaching and guidance to team members for their career and professional development.
• Creates a conducive working environment to build and sustain a performance driven, engaged, and committed team.
• Ensures people management responsibilities are handled effectively in line with company procedures.
  
  

Qualifications (Academic, Training, Languages)

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting / HR / Statistics / Administration or equivalent from a recognized university is preferred; alternately, a higher diploma in a related domain combined with needed working experience.
• Knowledge of HR Payroll systems and concepts; HRIS systems and software such ERP SAP, Oracle etc.
• Domain Knowledge of Airline HR Systems.
• Strong math and numerical reasoning ability and high accuracy are mandatory for this role.
• Fluent in English Language, Arabic is a plus.
  
  

Work Experience

• 5-7 years of in-depth payroll-related experience in any industry, preferably in Airlines / Travel / Tourism; out of which a minimum of 2 years at least leading payroll function, including administering, configuring, and supporting enterprise systems (HRMS, Payroll, ERP, or similar business-critical applications).
• Strong understanding of system dependencies, workflows, integrations, and downstream impacts of configuration changes.
• Demonstrated knowledge of change management process.
• Must have worked in a mid-sized organization operating on a regional/multinational level, and managed a team.
• Experienced in leading/ developing a team with heavy workload and ad-hoc scenarios.