Global Payroll Manager

Nelnet•Mississauga, ON

1d•$90,000 - $125,000

About The Position

The Global Payroll Manager is the connective tissue for international payroll across Nelnet. The role evaluates how associates are paid in each country through an employer of record (EOR), professional employer organization (PEO), or direct payroll; develops country-specific processing playbooks; trains People Operations to handle international work; and serves as an escalation point and backup for matters outside documented guidance. International processing remains within the existing People Operations team, with this role providing expertise and backup. The position leads international People Services team members and builds their capabilities to support consistent global payroll and people operations. It owns the operating model and provider relationships for each country, partners across Legal, Tax, Finance, Treasury, HRIS, IT/Security, Benefits, and HRBPs, and maintains country-specific guidance as the company’s footprint changes. Compensation starts at $90,000 USD / $125,000 CAD, depending on experience.

Requirements

At least 5 years of hands-on multi-country payroll experience, including personally standing up payroll in at least one new country.
Experience selecting and managing EOR/PEO or in-country payroll vendors, including contract negotiation and SLA management.
Experience building process documentation and training others to use it.
Experience integrating a newly acquired or newly established entity into an existing payroll, benefits, or tax framework.
Demonstrated comfort with ambiguous, build-as-you-go mandates.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills; the role works regularly with Tax, Legal, HRIS, Benefits, and HRBPs.
Working fluency in international payroll tax fundamentals, including taxation of earnings and deduction codes, statutory filing cycles, and year-end reporting.

Nice To Haves

Direct payroll or employment law experience in Canada, Australia, or India.
Global Payroll Management Institute (GPMI) or CPP certification with an international component.

Responsibilities

Lead country onboarding assessments for new or acquired countries; determine payroll mechanisms and worker classification with Legal, Tax, and business leaders, and drive system or vendor setup.
Define country-specific payroll build requirements, including earnings and deduction codes, taxation, and pay practices, and maintain a standing reference for them in partnership with the Payroll Tax Manager.
Partner with the Payroll Tax Manager on country-specific tax and compliance context, including filings, statutory obligations, and year-end statements; the Payroll Tax Manager owns tax decisions and the framework.
Define statutory and market-standard time-off and leave entitlements per country and translate them into policies People Operations can administer.
Define statutory termination and severance requirements per country and incorporate them into playbook guidance for People Operations and HRBPs.
Own data privacy and cross-border handling requirements for associate payroll data, including GDPR for EU countries, in partnership with Legal and IT/Security.
Serve as the HR-side point of contact for payroll funding and banking mechanics, including currency, timing, and in-country account requirements, partnering with Treasury and Finance.
Lead and develop international People Services team members through direction, coaching, performance management, and capability-building.
Build and maintain processing playbooks for each active country for People Operations’ day-to-day payroll work.
Oversee training and certification of People Operations team members as first-line international specialists, embedding expertise through a tiered capability model.
Serve as the escalation point and working backup for international payroll issues, associate questions, and processing gaps, including holiday and coverage mismatches outside documented guidance.
Own EOR, PEO, and international payroll provider relationships, including contract negotiation, SLA management, and ongoing performance evaluation.
Continuously reevaluate the appropriate operating model for each country as company size, strategy, or footprint changes.
Partner with HRIS and Systems on configuration and integration for new countries, and with HRBPs to address gaps in international knowledge.