Payroll Analyst / Associate

About this role The Global Payroll & Employment Tax function at BlackRock is a dynamic and dedicated group of professionals responsible for ensuring accurate payroll processing and tax compliance for our global employees of approximately 22,000. Our team is committed to maintaining compliance with all relevant regulations and providing exceptional service to our colleagues. We work collaboratively with various internal stakeholders to streamline operations and continuously improve our processes and value precision, efficiency, and a positive work environment. As Analyst or Associate, EMEA Payroll Operations, you will be responsible for Payroll operations of a few locations of the EMEA region. The countries in scope for this position will include, but not be limited to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy amongst many others which BlackRock operate within the EMEA region. This position requires strong operations mindset, deep understanding of payroll processes and complexities in the EMEA region, as well as excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. You must be able to connect dots, identify patterns, suggest new and improved ways of operating and fundamentally be capable of delivering accurate, compliant and timely payroll processing for the countries under your remit. The successful candidate will have strong technical payroll knowledge and have experience with managing and holding external payroll vendors accountable, understanding and knowledge of various internal controls such as Sarbanes Oxley. An employee and stakeholder centric focus will be a paramount skill to leverage. Key Responsibilities: Manage the payroll vendor relationships to deliver payroll effectively across the countries assigned. Ensure that a regular list is maintained with the vendor of issues till the time all of it gets closed out. Meet regularly with payroll vendors to review performance and explore potential for improvement/enhancement of operations. Support various audits, such as internal audits, employment tax audits, and social security audits as necessary. Maintain interactions with compensation accounting team to ensure that the Payroll accounts remain fully reconciled. Ensure compliance with the firms Sarbanes Oxley (SoX) control framework. Maintain strong cross-functional relationships between teams such as HR Benefits, HR Talent Mobility, Compensation Accounting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Tax and Controllers to ensure their information needs and Payroll processes are aligned for maximum effectiveness. Participate in and deliver upon department projects as required. Suggest continuous improvement projects to strengthen controls and reduce operational risk. Skills Required: 2-5 years of payroll experience, Germany, Italy, Switzerland preferred. Strong Excel skills. Exceptional communication skills, with proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive cross-functional collaboration. Financial services and/or investment banking industry experience is preferable. Knowledge and experience with employment tax and other regulations in the EMEA Knowledge of withholding tax, related tax filings, tax policy and regulations as they relate to EMEA Knowledge of accounting, with a focus on compensation accounting. Experience in maintaining internal controls aimed at reducing operational risk. Ability to effectively manage vendors Strong client service mentality and able to develop strong working relationships with your team, internal partners, and vendors to deliver a high-quality service. Strong analytical skills that enable candidate to recognize and resolve problems Ability to adapt to fast paced working culture. Discretion in dealing with confidential information. Bachelor’s Degree preferred. Additional skills that would enhance performance in the role: A recognized payroll qualification is a plus. Familiarity with Workday. A degree of attention to detail. A positive and ‘can-do’ attitude. Risk manag ... (truncated, view full listing at source)