Senior Payroll Specialist

About Wise

Wise is a global technology company focused on making international money movement and money management simpler, faster, and more cost-effective. The business helps individuals and companies send money overseas, spend in other countries, and receive cross-border payments with less friction and lower cost. The broader mission is to build a new global network for money that works for everyone, everywhere.

Role Overview

This Senior Payroll Specialist position is based in Singapore and sits within a regional payroll function. The role combines hands-on payroll operations with leadership support, governance, vendor oversight, compliance tracking, and project work. You will help maintain strong controls across payroll processes while also supporting continuous improvement and regional expansion.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the regional payroll team by enforcing payroll deadlines and acting as the final approver for standard payroll cycles.
• Step in as the regional backup lead and approval authority when the Payroll Lead is unavailable.
• Act as the main contact for Tax, Finance, and People Operations, keeping work within scope and protecting team bandwidth.
• Monitor service levels and operational performance of payroll partners such as Deel, CloudPay, RSM, and OSV.
• Track legislative changes across the region and ensure updates are implemented successfully into production.
• Lead audit walkthroughs with internal and external audit teams.
• Identify, track, and resolve risk items promptly to support compliance and operational stability.
• Investigate payroll issues and process bottlenecks, then drive root-cause fixes.
• Build constructive, trustworthy relationships with internal and external stakeholders through timely and transparent communication.
• Contribute to and lead payroll projects, including systems rollouts, automation efforts, and regional market expansions.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of APAC payroll processing experience in a fast-growing product-led or service-led business.
• Strong payroll knowledge covering preparation, processing, corrections, and audits, along with the ability to quickly learn new payroll workflows.
• Experience with Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and India payroll is an advantage.
• Strong technical ability with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables and charts, plus familiarity with payroll software.
• A collaborative working style and the ability to build relationships based on trust and mutual respect.
• A highly detail-oriented approach, supported by comfort with data and analytics.
• Adaptability to handle uncertainty, shifting priorities, and changing business needs.
• A willingness to learn, improve, and approach new challenges with a positive mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks at once, including work that needs to be paused and resumed later.
• Strong teamwork orientation, including partnering with peers and cross-checking assigned payrolls.

Additional Information

Wise emphasizes a workplace that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. The company values international perspectives and aims to ensure every team member feels respected, empowered to contribute, and able to grow in their career. Wise also encourages people to stay connected with life at the company through its career and social channels.