Senior Payroll Specialist

Company Description

Over the many years of its pursuit for investment diversification, the Ghobash Group has capitalized on opportunities in sectors with encouraging growth potential by either buying out established operating companies or founding new businesses to extend value into those markets. As the portfolio of these fully, or majority-owned operating companies grew and became more diversified, the Group established ABAN INVESTMENT in 2008 to administer and facilitate its smooth operation. Each operating company general manager reports into the CEO of Aban Investment and as such it is an actively managed portfolio of companies.

ABAN Investment currently has stakes in Technology, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Chemicals and Supplies, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Consumer Services. It is committed to building high-value businesses, from start-ups and early stage ventures to mergers and acquisitions for more mature businesses.

Job Description

This role is responsible for the end-to-end processing of payroll operations and employee benefits for assigned paygroups across the international operations of Ghobash Group. The role ensures payroll accuracy, compliance with country-specific labour laws, and alignment with company policies. This role focuses on leveraging automation, AI-driven tools, and process optimization to enhance payroll accuracy, streamline operations, and ensure compliance with regional regulations.

Payroll Administration

• Responsible for end-to-end payroll processing for multiple entities across UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India, and Egypt, ensuring accurate and timely execution in line with local laws and company policies.
• coordination with all relevant stakeholders-HRBP/Finance/business on regular basis for payroll processing and ad-hoc or contractual additions/deductions.
• Ensure compliance with WPS requirements for assigned payrolls in UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia; oversee India’s and Egypt’s statutory payroll submissions (PF, ESIC, Income Tax, GOSI, Social Insurance, etc.).
• Validate payroll inputs including attendance, overtime, allowances, deductions, and bonuses; coordinate with HRBPs and Finance for approval and reconciliation.
• Liaise with Finance Dept./other approvers for verification/approval of payroll related documents and remittance of salaries ensuring compliance with internal processes and statutory compliance (WPS/GPSSA/local laws).
• Ensure seamless payroll integration with HRMS/ERP systems and drive automation improvements.
• Ensure all final settlement procedures for exiting employees (EOSB calculations, Departure Notifications, Exit Checklist, Cancellation of Visa, Labour Card, Medical Insurance, Fuel Card etc, repatriation tickets etc) are completed as per the EOS policy.
• Liaise with the finance department for timely release of EOSB payments to comply with policy/regulations.

Compensation & Benefits

• Ensure mapping of medical insurance and airfare benefits/other benefits/Grading as per contracts for the employees for assigned payrolls.
• Implement career progression and C&B changes ensuring due approval and execution steps aligned to company policies and stakeholder communication.
• Ensure smooth offboarding for employees in assigned payrolls in compliance with all applicable laws and internal SLAs, and to protect the organization against complaints/penalties by proactive closure.
• Maintain employee personnel files on regular basis always ensuring the confidentiality of the files.
• Participate in payroll audits, reconciliations, and statutory filings; liaise with internal/external auditors for payroll compliance reviews.
• Assist employees who do not have access in HRMS in the application of Leave, Duty Resumption and other benefits as applicable.
• Ensure all employee requests are addressed within the defined HR SLA’s & are in line with the company policy and ensure a high level of customer focus in an endeavour towards our vision to be an employer of choice.

Labour /Government Relations

• Liaise with Group PRO for Visa and Labour Card renewals; Cancellation of Visa and labour cards for departing employees & other PR related works (Passport Release, MOL Contract updating, etc.)
• Ensure government reporting and filings are accurate and submitted on time in each jurisdiction.

Process Improvement & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a regional subject matter expert, supporting HR leadership in payroll strategy and system enhancements.
• Analyze payroll workflows to identify bottlenecks and implement standardized, scalable processes across group companies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Develop and deliver advanced payroll analytics, including cost forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis, to support strategic decision-making.
• Recommend and implement innovative solutions, such as robotic process automation (RPA) or AI-powered payroll platforms, to enhance accuracy, compliance, and employee satisfaction.
• Monitor payroll performance metrics and proactively resolve discrepancies, leveraging technology to maintain data integrity and stakeholder trust.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, HR Management, Business Administration or in another related field from a recognised University.
• Hands-on experience with HRMS such as Oracle/SAP/Adrenalin, Pension and WPS systems, digital filing systems.
• Excellent Analytical, MS office and reporting skills.
• Knowledge of labour laws and compliance relevant to the role.
• Minimum of 3 years of proven work experience as a Payroll Officer, executive or similar role handling a large span and preferably multiple entities.
• Good knowledge of UAE Labour Laws and experience of handling employee queries on C&B/Payroll issues.
• Preferably knowledge of Oman, Saudi, Egypt and India labour laws as well.