Senior Payroll Specialist

About the role

You will own the end-to-end operation of Dutch payroll from strategy through execution, driving accuracy, compliance, and scalability in a high-growth environment. You will serve as the definitive in-house expert on Netherlands payroll, interpreting complex rules and translating them into reliable processes and system configurations that the business can depend on. You will build and maintain rigorous controls that protect data integrity and ensure timely, error-free payments and statutory filings. You will partner closely with Finance, People, and Product teams to automate workflows and improve the employee payroll experience across the organization. You will coach and elevate other payroll specialists, creating clear documentation and playbooks that make the team stronger and more resilient. You will act as the primary escalation point for difficult payroll cases, solving hard problems while maintaining a customer-first mindset. You will ensure that all payroll outputs meet regulatory standards, including reporting obligations under laws such as the EU Pay Transparency Directive.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Run Dutch payroll end-to-end in-house, owning the full pay cycle for accurate, compliant, and on-time processing.
• Master data ownership by validating employee payroll master data, including new hires, terminations, salary changes, variable pay, benefits, absences, and garnishments (loonbeslag).
• Execute payroll controls and quality checks through rigorous pre- and post-payroll validations, investigating discrepancies and implementing corrective actions.
• Handle all statutory filings and government accesses, including Loonaangifte (monthly payroll tax), Jaaropgave (annual statement), Belastingdienst, and UWV setups.
• Own the configuration and maintenance of the in-house payroll system, testing legislative updates before go-live and troubleshooting issues.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for Loonheffing, Sociale verzekeringen, Dutch arbeidsrecht, 30% ruling applications, and CAO interpretation.
• Own payroll journals, GL mappings, and reconciliations with Finance to ensure full data integrity and compliant reporting.
• Lead complex escalations and act as the key point of contact for difficult client payroll issues, resolving problems with a customer-first mindset.
• Prepare and maintain statutory and ad-hoc reports, ensuring compliance with EU Pay Transparency Directive and AVG/GDPR requirements for payroll data.
• Provide structured data and documentation to support internal and external audits.
• Coach junior specialists through complex problems and develop playbooks and SOPs to keep process knowledge documented and shared.
• Partner with the Product team to improve automation and scalability of payroll processes and system workflows.
• Set the standard for best-in-class payroll operations at scale, defining and driving continuous improvements.
• Coordinate with regional teams and stakeholders to ensure payroll policies and practices remain consistent and compliant.
• Monitor legislative changes and assess their impact on payroll, recommending timely updates and controls.

Requirements

• 5+ years running the complete native (in-house) payroll process for the Netherlands, comfortable independently handling a high volume of payslips per month.
• Hands-on experience with AFAS, Nmbrs by Visma, and/or Loket.nl, including configuration, validation, and issue resolution.
• Deep knowledge of Dutch payroll processes, including Loonheffing, Sociale verzekeringen, and arbeidsrecht.
• Proven ability to run payroll from end to end, manage controls, and ensure on-time, accurate payments and statutory filings.
• Experience with statutory filings and government portals such as Belastingdienst and UWV.
• Strong understanding of payroll data integrity, reconciliations, and audit readiness.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills to advise business partners and serve as the subject matter expert on payroll matters.
• Demonstrated experience owning and improving payroll processes, including documentation and SOP creation.
• Commitment to compliance, confidentiality, and data protection in all payroll activities.
• Fluency in Dutch and English, both written and spoken, is required to perform this role effectively.
• Ability to work independently and make sound decisions with minimal supervision.

Practical notes

The role is based in the Netherlands and requires the right to work in this location.

Compensation

(No compensation data provided in the SOURCE document)

Hours

(No specific working hours stated in the SOURCE document)

Travel

(No travel expectations mentioned in the SOURCE document)

Visa

(No specific visa sponsorship details mentioned in the SOURCE document)

Deadlines

(No application deadline communicated in the SOURCE document)