Global Payroll Transformation Manager

Company Overview:

GMG is a global well-being company that retails, distributes, and manufactures a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across the sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties, and logistics sectors. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for over 45 years, GMG has established itself as a valued partner of choice for some of the world’s most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Operating across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands across 12 countries. These include well-known names such as Sun & Sand Sports, Dropkick, Supercare Pharmacy, Farm Fresh, Klassic, Nike, Columbia, Converse, Timberland, Vans, Mama Sita’s, and McCain.

Role Summary:

The HR Transformation Manager – Payroll Transformation Lead will be responsible for leading and delivering a group-wide payroll transformation initiative for an organization of over 10,000+ employees operating across 12 countries in the MENA and East Asia regions. This transformation will involve either the implementation of a new payroll operating model supported by enhanced technology or the outsourcing of payroll operations to a third-party provider. The role is critical to modernizing the organization’s payroll landscape, achieving compliance across multiple jurisdictions, improving process efficiency, and enabling scalability for future growth. The position will serve as the program lead across strategy, planning, execution, and stakeholder engagement. This role is ideal for a strategic and hands-on leader with a balance of technical payroll knowledge, transformation experience, and cross-cultural sensitivity. The role requires high resilience, problem-solving capability, and stakeholder maturity to navigate complexity and deliver business outcomes.

Responsibilities:

Transformation Strategy & Roadmap:

• Define and drive the payroll transformation roadmap aligned with HR and business strategy.
• Evaluate and compare operating models: centralized in-house payroll vs. outsourcing.
• Lead feasibility studies and develop business case, including cost-benefit and risk analysis.

Project Leadership:

• Lead end-to-end design and delivery of the payroll transformation initiative
• Evaluate, compare, and recommend in-house vs. outsourced payroll models
• Manage RFPs, vendor evaluations, contracting, and transition plans
• Oversee cross-country compliance alignment, risk mitigation, and internal controls
• Drive process standardization, stakeholder engagement, and change management
• Ensure integration with HRIS, timekeeping, and finance systems

Payroll Process Design & Standardization:

• Lead discovery and mapping of current payroll processes across all countries.
• Identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for process redesign and improvement.
• Design future-state processes, ensuring standardization while accommodating local regulatory needs.

System Implementation or Outsourcing Transition:

• In system implementation: Define functional and technical requirements, oversee platform configuration, integration, testing, and deployment.
• In outsourcing: Manage vendor selection, contracting, knowledge transfer, and transition planning.
• Ensure seamless data migration, system interfaces, and post-deployment support.

Compliance, Controls & Risk Management:

• Ensure country-specific legal and statutory compliance in payroll execution.
• Implement internal controls to mitigate risk related to payroll, taxation, and data privacy.
• Coordinate with legal and finance teams for audit readiness and regulatory alignment.

Stakeholder & Change Management:

• Engage and influence a wide set of internal and external stakeholders at senior levels.
• Build change management, communication, and training plans to ensure adoption.
• Act as the escalation point for transformation-related challenges across geographies.

Qualifications:

• Should have 8–15 years of overall HR, Finance, or Technology transformation experience with at least 5 years in payroll-related projects.
• Program Management: Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional transformation programs; PMP or equivalent preferred.
• Payroll Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of multi-country payroll processes, compliance, and operational models (in-house and outsourced).
• Technology Acumen: Familiarity with leading payroll and HRIS systems (e.g., SAP, SF, SuccessFactors); integration with finance and timekeeping systems.
• Change Leadership: Strong experience managing change across diverse functions and geographies; PROSCI or equivalent certification is a plus.
• Stakeholder Engagement: High-level communication and negotiation skills; able to work with C-level executives and functional leaders.
• Analytical & Strategic Thinking: Strong analytical mindset; capable of business case development and TCO/ROI modeling.
• Compliance & Governance: Strong knowledge of payroll statutory compliance requirements in MENA and East Asia; risk mitigation experience.

What we offer?

• An opportunity to become part of diverse teams with international exposure
• Comprehensive family medical insurance
• Family residency sponsorship and flight allowances
• Up to 30% discount in our premium retail sports brand stores
• Up to 20% discount in our pharmacy chain