Payroll Manager

TrendAI™, the global AI security leader and enterprise business unit of Trend Micro, empowers organizations with full AI visibility and consolidated security that inspires confidence, drives innovation, and eliminates risk.

At TrendAI™, we’re always seeking exceptional talent; people who want to collaborate with the best and push boundaries together. Here, your work goes beyond building a career. You will help protect what matters and play a vital role in shaping a safer, more trustworthy AI-powered future.

AI Fearlessly.

Europe Payroll Manager

Permanent Position

Role Overview

The Europe Payroll Manager is responsible for the successful delivery of accurate and compliant monthly payroll for approximately 900 employees across 27 European countries. This role oversees payroll operations, vendor management, compliance, process improvement initiatives, and payroll team leadership, while partnering closely with HR, Finance, and external payroll providers to ensure a high-quality employee experience and strong governance framework.

Key Responsibilities

- Manage the end-to-end monthly payroll process for approximately 900 employees across 27 European countries, ensuring timely and accurate payment.

- Coordinate the collection, validation, and submission of payroll inputs from internal stakeholders to external payroll providers in line with established deadlines.

- Review and reconcile payroll reports, ensuring payroll calculations and payments are accurate and compliant with local regulations.

- Provide timely and accurate payroll accounting information and reconciliations to the General Ledger and Finance teams.

- Own and maintain payroll controls, procedures, and governance frameworks to ensure compliance with internal audit, external audit, SOX/JSOX, and regulatory requirements.

- Lead payroll process improvement, standardization, and automation initiatives to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability across the European payroll function.

- Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), service metrics, and reporting tools to support continuous improvement and operational excellence.

- Manage relationships with external payroll vendors, including contract negotiations, service delivery monitoring, SLA management, fee negotiations, and issue resolution.

- Lead, coach, and develop the payroll team, conducting performance reviews and supporting professional growth and succession planning.

- Ensure all payroll-related statutory obligations, including tax, social security, pension contributions, and other regulatory payments, are completed accurately and within required deadlines.

- Partner with HR and Finance to coordinate quarterly incentive, commission, bonus, and MBO payment processes, ensuring timely and accurate execution.

- Build strong relationships with cross-functional stakeholders across HR, Finance, Tax, Legal, and Operations to support business objectives and strategic initiatives.

- Provide payroll subject matter expertise for organisational changes, acquisitions, integrations, and new country implementations.

Person Specification

- Highly motivated, proactive, and results-oriented.

- Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic, and deadline-driven environment.

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.

- Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high service standards.

- Strong interpersonal, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across international teams.

- Customer-focused approach with a commitment to service excellence.

- Proven leadership and people management capabilities.

- Experience managing outsourced payroll models is essential.

Experience Required

- Minimum 3-5 years' experience in a European Payroll Manager or equivalent senior payroll leadership role.

- Experience operating within a multinational and/or shared services environment.

- Proven experience managing payroll across multiple European countries.

- Strong understanding of payroll accounting principles and General Ledger reporting requirements.

- Experience working within SOX/JSOX-controlled environments is advantageous.

- Demonstrated experience leading payroll transformation, process improvement, and automation initiatives.

- Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to partner effectively across HR, Finance, Tax, and external vendors.

- Working knowledge of European employment legislation, payroll regulations, and statutory requirements in one or more countries is advantageous.

- Ability to drive operational excellence in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

- IPASS qualification or equivalent payroll certification preferred.

- Third-level degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Human Resources, or a related discipline.

- Additional payroll, project management, or process improvement qualifications would be advantageous.

- Additional European language skills are beneficial but not essential.

At Trend Micro, we embrace change, empower people, and encourage innovation in a connected world. Our diversity and multicultural workforce are key contributing factors to our success across the globe. We like to have fun while taking our culture seriously. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to this regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or veteran status. We do not allow discrimination or harassment of any kind.