Manager GBS H2R & Payroll in Luzern

About the Role

adidas Global Business Services delivers high-quality services across Finance and HR functions for adidas companies in Europe and the Americas. Within HR Services, the Payroll & Compliance function ensures accurate employee compensation, operational excellence, and strict adherence to legal requirements. The Manager Payroll & Compliance Switzerland operates as a strategic individual contributor for Swiss payroll operations and compliance, ensuring flawless execution of end-to-end payroll, strong governance, and full compliance with Swiss tax, labour, and social security rules. The role collaborates with GBS H2R & Payroll EU leadership, HR Partners, Rewards, Mobility, Finance, Tax, Legal, external authorities and vendors, and senior Swiss leadership stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute, oversee, and validate monthly end-to-end Swiss payroll processing, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with all legislative requirements (tax, social security, labour law).
• Ensure flawless compliance with salary taxability rules, implementing robust internal controls and timely corrective actions in alignment with audit expectations.
• Drive the transition to in-house payroll, including process design, implementation of controls, and vendor offboarding where applicable.
• Provide expert guidance on complex payroll scenarios involving senior leadership populations, expatriates, mobility cases, and shadow payroll requirements.
• Conduct root-cause analysis for payroll issues, propose improvement plans, and coordinate with Tech, Legal, Finance, Tax, Rewards, and Mobility to implement sustainable solutions.
• Maintain and update payroll process documentation, SOPs, and internal control frameworks, and support internal and external audits to ensure audit readiness and alignment with global and local standards.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with HR Partners, Rewards, Mobility, Finance, Tax, Legal, and external authorities and vendors.
• Ensure governance, confidentiality, and data security of all payroll-related information, and act as a role model in compliance with Swiss legislation, adidas Fair Play Code of Conduct, and corporate policies.
• Prepare payroll and statutory reports for internal stakeholders and Swiss authorities.
• Contribute to operational excellence and harmonisation initiatives across GBS H2R Payroll, including supporting testing and implementation of payroll tools and processes related to the Hire to Retire Strategy.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• University degree in Business Administration, HR, Finance, or similar field.
• Several years of experience in Swiss payroll operations, including handling complex cases and mobility scenarios.
• Proven expertise in managing transitions between outsourced and in-house payroll models.
• Strong experience interacting with payroll vendors and/or authorities.
• Strong understanding of audits, compliance frameworks, and payroll governance.
• Proficiency with MS Office and HR systems.
• Strong knowledge of Swiss payroll, taxation, labour law, and social security legislation.
• Deep understanding of international mobility, expatriate taxation, and shadow payroll processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
• Experience with process governance, internal controls, and audit preparation.
• Affinity with HR and payroll systems.
• Strong customer focus with ability to manage senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise, and manage high-complexity tasks.
• High resilience and adaptability in a multi-country, changing environment.
• Excellent communication skills in English.

Preferred Skills

• SAP HR/EC experience.
• German language skills are highly valued.

About the Company

adidas recruits and develops talent to reflect the rich diversity of its consumers and communities, fostering a culture of inclusion that engages employees and authentically connects the brand with consumers.

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