Senior Payroll Specialist (Philippines)

✨ One platform, a whole world of opportunity The best jobs are often restricted to a few wealthy cities, but talent exists everywhere. Oyster set out to change this by launching a global employment platform that enables companies to hire, pay, and support talent anywhere. We’re proof that a strong, engaged culture doesn't require an office. Since January 2020, Oyster has: 🌏 Built a distributed team of 400+ across 60+ countries 👩‍💻 Featured in Forbes as #9 in FlexJobs Top 30 Companies for remote jobs 🌈 Formed a diverse leadership team and a workforce that’s 60% female 🏆 Earned top employee engagement scores 🦄 Raised $286 million; valued at $1.2 billion 💚 Achieved B Corp status in 2023 Our momentum shows the power of global employment, and we’re just getting started! If you want to help us drive change and work remotely, we’d love for you to apply! Location: While this position is posted in a specific location, all of Oyster’s positions are fully remote and you can work from home. Forever. To create the best experience for our new hire, this role requires you to be based in the Philippines. Are you ready to shape the future of work and make a global impact? Oyster is at the forefront of remote employment, and we’re seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our dynamic Global Payroll Operations team, with a focus on the Philippines region. This is not just a job – it's an opportunity to be a key player in our mission to decrease the global opportunity gap and create stable careers worldwide. As our resident expert in all things Philippines payroll, you'll have the autonomy to refine and optimize our processes, directly influencing how we serve our Philippines based customers and team members. You'll be part of a global team of payroll professionals, each dedicated to running seamless payroll operations across borders. If you're passionate about payroll, excited by the prospect of working in a fast-paced, innovative environment, and ready to make a meaningful difference in people's lives – all while working remotely – we want to hear from you! Key Responsibilities Own and manage payroll processing in the APAC Region with a focus on the Philippines, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and an exceptional experience for clients while meeting all service delivery targets and KPIs. Hands-on, end-to-end payroll processing (self-executed, not vendor-managed) in Australia, Japan, or Singapore, with strong knowledge of local taxation and compliance. Collaborate with local payroll vendors to execute end-to-end payroll operations, performing audits, reconciliations, and ensuring adherence to local regulations and service standards. Serve as a subject matter expert for payroll-related inquiries from customers and internal teams, providing clear, consultative, and timely resolutions in line with company SLAs. Actively collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., Payroll Transformation, Product) to support, enhance, and continuously improve Oyster's automated native payroll processes. Proactively monitor local payroll regulations and legislative changes, partnering with the HR Advisory team to implement required changes and ensure 100% compliance. Take ownership of local payroll and related HR procedures, including managing deductions and supporting employee lifecycle events (onboarding/offboarding) in your assigned region, Philippines. Contribute to the development and maintenance of payroll-related knowledge bases, playbooks, and guides to empower internal teams and enhance the overall client experience. Perform rigorous pre- and post-payroll audits and reconciliations (covering salaries, benefits, pensions, time off, etc.) to ensure the highest level of data integrity and accuracy. Ensure timely and accurate submission of all payroll records and reports to relevant government agencies. Participate in and contribute to special payroll projects and initiatives as needed to support the team's strategic goals. Core Requirements 5+ years of hands-on payroll experience, with deep, end-to-end expertise in managing the payroll process for the Philippines, including in-depth knowledge of local taxation, compliance, and labor laws. Experience in processing payroll across multiple countries and jurisdictions, especially in the APAC region, such as Japan, Australia, and Singapore. Demonstrated expertise working with enterprise-level payroll systems and local payroll vendors, including hands-on experience overseeing system configuration, data inputs/outputs, validations, and day-to-day payroll operations. A proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams like finance transformation, automation (RPA), or process improvement to enhance payroll efficiency. Superb communication and interpersonal skills (in English) with the ability to act as a trusted advisor and explain complex payroll matters with clarity and empathy. Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets for reporting and data reco