R&D Payroll Analyst (PH)

Playroll is hiring an R&D Payroll Analyst - Philippines to help bring payroll operations in-house for one of our key Employer of Record markets. This role sits at the intersection of payroll, operations, legal, product, and service delivery, helping us design and build a compliant, scalable payroll model from the ground up. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys solving complex operational challenges, working through ambiguity, and turning local payroll requirements into practical, repeatable processes. You'll research payroll regulations, validate workflows, and help shape the operational foundations for accurate monthly payroll delivery in the Philippines. You'll play a key role in building internal payroll capability across statutory contributions, tax handling, employee lifecycle changes, controls, documentation standards, and payroll inputs — reducing reliance on external providers while improving efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.

• Research and document Philippines payroll requirements, including earnings, deductions, taxes, statutory contributions, leave impacts, filings, and termination-related payroll components.
• Map existing provider processes, identifying dependencies, risks, and operational requirements needed to transition payroll operations fully in-house.
• Support the migration from external payroll providers to an internally managed Playroll payroll model for the Philippines.
• Design and operationalise end-to-end monthly payroll processes, from payroll input collection through validation, approvals, funding readiness, and output checks.
• Build and maintain payroll documentation, SOPs, calculation logic, validation rules, trackers, and internal knowledge base materials.
• Collaborate with Legal, Payroll Operations, Product, and Automation teams to accurately reflect local payroll rules within internal systems and workflows.
• Validate payroll calculations, investigate discrepancies, and establish controls that improve payroll accuracy while reducing operational risk.
• Support statutory payroll setup and maintenance, including government contributions, reporting obligations, and local compliance requirements.
• Manage employee lifecycle payroll events, including onboarding, salary updates, bonuses, leave impacts, final pay, and offboarding processes.
• Provide subject matter expertise on Philippines payroll requirements, supporting internal teams with local payroll logic, processes, and operational guidance.

• Demonstrate 2–5 years of experience in payroll, payroll operations, payroll implementation, or related compliance and operational roles.
• Apply strong knowledge of Philippines payroll practices and statutory requirements, with additional APAC exposure considered an advantage.
• Work confidently with payroll calculations, validations, payroll inputs, and employee lifecycle changes across end-to-end processes.
• Analyse payroll issues using strong problem-solving skills, investigating discrepancies with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Manage multiple payroll workstreams effectively in a fast-paced, evolving operational environment.
• Communicate clearly in English, both written and verbal, with strong stakeholder engagement capability.
• Maintain high attention to detail while taking ownership of payroll accuracy, outputs, and process integrity.
• Organise and prioritise workload effectively to ensure timely and compliant payroll delivery.
• Leverage strong affinity for technology, working comfortably with spreadsheets, process tools, and operational systems.

• Hold a Chartered Accountant, Bachelor of Commerce, or similar qualification, with openness to other relevant academic or professional backgrounds.
• Demonstrate strong logical and critical thinking skills, with comfort navigating ambiguity, complexity, and evolving operational requirements.
• Collaborate effectively with strong communication and interpersonal skills, contributing positively across cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Bring high energy, a positive attitude, and a self-starter mindset, thriving in a dynamic, fast-paced, and high-accountability environment.
• Prioritise work effectively using strong organisational skills, ensuring timely execution across multiple competing priorities.
• Leverage affinity for technology, with experience in Monday.com advantageous, and strong proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel.