The role will be based in Italy and will play a key role in ensuring the effective delivery, governance and continuous improvement of payroll, employee lifecycle and people services activities across multiple countries within the Western European region.

Reporting to the People & Culture Head for Western Europe & Italy, the selected professional will act as a strategic point of contact between local HR teams, business stakeholders, external service providers and global centers of excellence, ensuring service excellence, regulatory compliance and process harmonization across the region.

This opportunity is suited to an experienced HR Operations professional capable of combining strong operational expertise with stakeholder management, transformation leadership and continuous improvement initiatives within an international environment.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll, Time & Benefits Management

• Oversee payroll, time management and benefits administration activities across all countries within the assigned scope.
• Ensure accurate, timely and compliant payroll processing through effective governance and monitoring mechanisms.
• Manage payroll-related escalations, supporting the resolution of complex issues impacting employees and business operations.
• Establish and monitor operational controls, KPIs and service quality standards.
• Provide guidance to local HR teams and internal stakeholders on payroll and employee administration matters.

Employee Lifecycle Operations

• Coordinate employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, contract administration, mobility activities, offboarding and final settlements.
• Ensure effective collaboration between centralized service teams and local business stakeholders.
• Monitor service delivery performance and employee experience indicators.
• Support the implementation of standardized processes and operating models across countries.

Vendor & Service Delivery Management

• Manage relationships with external payroll and HR service providers.
• Monitor vendor performance through service reviews, governance meetings and performance indicators.
• Ensure compliance with contractual commitments, service levels and operational standards.
• Drive corrective actions, service improvements and risk mitigation initiatives where needed.

Compliance & Risk Governance

• Ensure adherence to local labor regulations, payroll legislation, tax requirements and statutory obligations.
• Maintain effective internal controls across payroll and people operations activities.
• Support internal and external audit processes.
• Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Compliance and Internal Control functions to manage operational risks.
• Promote the consistent application of corporate policies, procedures and governance frameworks.

Process Improvement & Transformation

• Lead initiatives aimed at optimizing, standardizing and automating people operations processes.
• Leverage operational metrics, employee feedback and service analytics to identify improvement opportunities.
• Support regional and global transformation programs related to HR systems, employee services and operating model evolution.
• Contribute to the development of scalable and efficient service delivery practices.

Regional & Global Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with international HR teams, centers of excellence and shared service organizations.
• Drive the adoption of global standards, policies and operating principles across the region.
• Contribute to international projects focused on harmonization, best practice sharing and service excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Economics or related disciplines.
• At least 8 years of experience within Payroll, HR Operations, Shared Services or Employee Services environments.
• Proven experience managing multi-country payroll and employee administration processes.
• Strong understanding of labor legislation, payroll compliance and employee lifecycle activities.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers and external HR service partners.
• Background in HR transformation, process optimization and service delivery management.
• Solid vendor management and governance capabilities.
• Experience operating within complex, international and matrix organizations.
• Knowledge of HRIS platforms, preferably within modern digital HR environments.
• Fluent English.

Soft Skills

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing capabilities.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• High attention to detail and commitment to operational excellence.
• Strong analytical mindset and problem-solving approach.
• Ability to manage complexity and prioritize effectively in a fast-changing environment.
• Collaborative leadership style and team-oriented mindset.
• Continuous improvement orientation with a pragmatic approach to execution.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Location: Milan (MI), Italy

Compensation Package

Base Salary: €80.000

MBO: 15%

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