Job Description

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. We work in two ways - directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK. These connections lead to an understanding of each other\'s strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Role Purpose
This role will be responsible for the creation and implementation of lean transactional payroll operations and for the running of payroll operations activities in the region, its compliance, efficiency, and accuracy. This will include designing tools, processes and procedures to manage a methodical payroll administration, leveraging MyHR and ensuring successful partnering and integration with other platforms. The key focus is to review, analyse, recommend and drive regional payroll operational and administrative models, ensuring excellent implementation in the deployment of payroll operational process and procedures. The role requires a systematic, integrated approach with a focus on continuous improvement.

Function overview
The global HR team is undergoing a significant transformation to position it more effectively to support the rapidly changing needs of the British Council. The Payroll Operations Lead reports to the Regional Payroll and Benefits Manager. Our vision is to have one, global HR team which is set up to help the British Council achieve its corporate goals by developing a global workforce that puts the right people, with the right skills, in the right place.

Main opportunities/challenges for this role

• Create a sustainable and risk mitigated payroll operations in the region.
• Setting up and managing an efficient and effective payroll operations function across the region
• Lead the alignment of processes and platforms to achieve integration to other HR and non-HR platforms
• Lead the continuous improvement of processes for better, faster payroll operations.
• Implement the regional payroll operations strategy in the region. This will include the review of the existing delivery model and practices to ensure compliance, efficiency, and accuracy

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:
Lead the creation of an expert payroll Operations team in the region

• Implement a regional approach to payroll services and later transitioning to a regionalized service linked to a globalized platform.
• Ensure the regional payroll operations team is supportive of the payroll operations strategy and direction
• People manage the regional payroll operations team to deliver operational excellence. Train, coach and develop the team. Inspire them to question current practices and seek continuous improvement

Payroll Operations strategy to deliver operational excellence across the region

• Lead the improvement of the delivery of payroll operations in the region leveraging technology, data analytics and continuous improvement
• Lead the standardisation of payroll practices.
• Accountable for delivering an efficient and effective payroll Operations service to the region
• Use project management expertise to ensure key objectives are delivered.

Quality Management

• Embed Quality Management principles in payroll process.
• Escalate issues related to service delivery at regular intervals and get them resolved on priority.
• Manage performance of team and report non compliances as per the guidelines.
• Create SOPs, knowledge articles, process maps and other process documents as required.
• Contribute and participate in service benchmarking exercises and create long terms plans for achieving them.
• Be responsible for defining the training needs of the team and ensure participation of the team in training sessions.

Governance and Reporting.

• Generate/ review various operational and statutory payroll reports like production report, quality, balanced scorecard and workforce management related reports on defined frequencies.

Information security

• Act as first point of contact in the region for any incident impacting delivery.
• Ensure that information security/ data security compliances with respect to payroll practices are implemented and managed effectively.

Continuously improve the operational practice

• Continuously review payroll operational practices, based on data and feedback from employees, service providers, other HR Pillars and Finance.
• Lead the payroll operations team to become best in class in payroll operational practices.
• Use data analytics lead the continuous review of processes, systems and the touch points between all of them to make payroll operations as effective and efficient.

Collaborate with other HR pillars

• Work collaboratively with other HR areas to support the initiatives undertaken for the business
• Continuously feedback to other HR areas on changes and/or issues faced by the payroll team to ensure the business has a single combined HR perspective

Requirements:

• The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.
• Academic requirement - Undergraduate Degree (Business/Accounting degree or equivalent is preferred)
• Professional experience related to the role.

Role specific knowledge and experience:
Minimum/essential

• Experience of reviewing and improving payroll operations processes and practices.
• Expertise/Experience of payroll operations across several countries in the region, including designing tools, processes and procedures.
• Has worked in a multinational organization, with varied cultures and nationalities
• Experience leading payroll staff

Desirable

• Knowledge of automation in payroll
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills and initiative

Further Information
Pay Band - 7
Contract Type - 2 year, fixed-term contract
Location - Malaysia or the Philippines
Other Requirements - You must have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based (citizen/permanent resident)

Closing Date - 31 January 2023 - 23:59 Singapore Time (GMT +8)

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council\'s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our \'ASK HR\' email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.

British Council