Payroll Global Expert - Americas

Syensqo is all about chemistry. We’re not just referring to chemical reactions here, but also to the magic that occurs when the brightest minds get to work together. This is where our true strength lies. In you. In your future colleagues and in all your differences. And of course, in your ideas to improve lives while preserving our planet’s beauty for the generations to come.

Syensqo is strengthening its Global Payroll & Benefits organization to support operational excellence and the transformation of Payroll & Time services globally.

The Global Payroll Expert – Americas is a senior subject-matter expert within the Global Payroll & Benefits organization, providing deep payroll expertise across the Americas and supporting the development of standardized, compliant, controlled, and efficient payroll processes. The role partners closely with the Regional Payroll Lead Americas, local Payroll teams, HR, Finance, HRIT, external payroll and Time providers.

Key Responsibilities:
Payroll Expertise & Compliance
•    Act as a senior payroll subject-matter expert for the Americas, with particular focus on complex U.S. payroll requirements; 
•    Provide expertise on payroll legislation, taxation, payroll accounting, controls, and regulatory requirements; 
•    Support the Regional Payroll Lead and local teams in resolving complex payroll issues and compliance risks; 
•    Analyze recurring payroll errors and lead root-cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions; 
•    Support interpretation and implementation of regulatory, policy, CBA, and payroll-related changes; 
•    Provide expert guidance on complex payroll calculations, pay codes, deductions, retroactivity, taxation, and Time-to-Payroll requirements. 

Payroll Controls & Risk
•    Develop, strengthen, and standardize payroll controls across the Americas;
•    Support payroll teams in implementing preventive and detective controls throughout the payroll cycle;
•    Ensure controls are documented, consistently executed, and supported by appropriate audit evidence; 
•    Support internal and external payroll audits and remediation activities; 
•    Identify control gaps and coordinate corrective actions with Payroll, HR, IT, Finance, and providers; 
•    Support User Access Management, segregation of duties, and other payroll-related control requirements.

Process Standards & Knowledge Management
•    Define and maintain payroll process standards, SOPs, work instructions, and control documentation;
•    Harmonize payroll processes where possible while ensuring local compliance requirements are maintained; 
•    Identify critical knowledge dependencies and ensure appropriate documentation and knowledge transfer;
•    Coach Payroll Specialists and Team Leads on complex payroll topics and best practices;
•    Build reusable payroll knowledge and expertise across the Americas organization;

Continuous Improvement & Automation
•    Coordinate and drive the continuous improvement agenda for Payroll across the Americas. 
•    Identify recurring issues, manual activities, control weaknesses, and automation opportunities. 
•    Translate operational pain points into structured improvement initiatives. 
•    Partner with Payroll teams, HRIT, providers, and Project AEGIS to implement improvements. 
•    Track improvement actions through implementation and measure the resulting operational impact. 
•    Promote standardization, automation, and exception-based payroll management.

Payroll Technology & Time-to-Payroll
•    Provide payroll expertise for Payroll and Time technology changes;
•    Support integration design between SuccessFactors, Time solutions, payroll providers, and Finance;
•    Define payroll business requirements for system enhancements and implementations; 
•    Support pay-code and wage-type harmonization;
•    Participate in testing, payroll parallel runs, reconciliation, cutover, and hypercare activities;
•    Ensure technology solutions support compliant and accurate payroll outcomes.

Vendor & Service Delivery Support
•    Partner with the Regional Payroll Lead in assessing payroll provider performance;
•    Provide subject-matter expertise during major provider incidents and recurring service-quality issues;
•    Support formal RCA and corrective-action discussions with payroll and Time providers;
•    Challenge providers on payroll accuracy, compliance, controls, and process quality;
•    Support vendor evaluations, reference calls, RFPs, and solution assessments when required.

Payroll Transformation
•    Support current-state assessments and future-state process design;
•    Define payroll requirements and controls for future providers and technology;
•    Support country implementations, testing, parallel payroll, cutover, and stabilization; 
•    Ensure operational learnings are incorporated into the future global Payroll Operating Model; 
•    Support the transition from locally dependent processes toward standardized and sustainable payroll delivery.

You Will Bring:
•    Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience will also be considered;
•    7+ years of payroll experience, preferably within complex, multi-state or multi-country environments; 
•    Deep understanding of U.S. payroll, payroll taxation, compliance, controls, and payroll accounting;
•    Experience with complex payroll environments including manufacturing, hourly populations, overtime, premiums, and Time-to-Payroll processes;
•    Strong experience with payroll systems and HR technology;
•    Experience developing SOPs, payroll controls, reconciliations, and process documentation; 
•    Demonstrated experience in root-cause analysis and continuous improvement;
•    Experience supporting payroll implementations, system changes, or transformation programs;
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving capability;
•    Ability to influence and challenge stakeholders without formal authority;
•    Strong communication skills and ability to work across countries, functions, and seniority levels;
•    Ability to operate independently and take ownership of complex topics through resolution.

Must-Have Skills:
•    U.S. payroll expertise; 
•    Multi-state payroll tax and compliance; 
•    Payroll controls and audit; 
•    Payroll accounting and reconciliation;
•    Time-to-Payroll understanding; 
•    Root-cause analysis; 
•    SOP and process documentation; 
•    Continuous improvement; 
•    Payroll technology experience; 
•    Stakeholder and vendor management; 
•    Fluent English.

Nice-to-Have Skills:
•    SAP Payroll; 
•    SAP SuccessFactors; 
•    UKG / Time Management experience;
•    Payroll transformation or implementation experience; 
•    Manufacturing payroll experience; 
•    Experience with Brazil, Canada, Mexico, or other Americas payroll environments.

You will get:   
•    Competitive salary and benefits package 
•    16, or more, weeks of maternity/paternity and co-parenting leave, according to local regulations 
•    Training platform for all employees 
•    Free well-being sessions (physical and psychological) 
  
Location & Working Model:
Location: Curitiba, Brazil;
Working model: Hybrid working model possible.

About us

• Syensqo is a science company developing groundbreaking solutions that enhance the way we live, work, travel and play. Inspired by the scientific councils which Ernest Solvay initiated in 1911, we bring great minds together to push the limits of science and innovation for the benefit of our customers, with a diverse, global team of more than 13,000 associates. Our solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices and health care applications. Our innovation power enables us to deliver on the ambition of a circular economy and explore breakthrough technologies that advance humanity.
• At Syensqo, we seek to promote unity and not uniformity. We value the diversity that individuals bring and we invite you to consider a future with us, regardless of background, age, gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, ability or identity. We encourage individuals who may require any assistance or accommodations to let us know to ensure a seamless application experience. We are here to support you throughout the application journey and want to ensure all candidates are treated equally. If you are unsure whether you meet all the criteria or qualifications listed in the job description, we still encourage you to apply.