Global Payroll Manager (m/f/d)

Overview

Engineered in Berlin. Driving the Future of Europe.

At AUTODOC, we are proud to be a homegrown European success story. Founded in Berlin in 2008 and still headquartered in the heart of the continent today, we have evolved from a local specialist into Europe’s leading online platform for the automotive aftermarket.

Our strength lies in our unique identity: we are a digital-first, e-commerce powerhouse with strong German roots and an expansive reach across 27 European countries. This continental focus allows us to blend our heritage with high-tech innovation, staying agile and closely connected to the markets we serve.

Today, our team of more than 5,500 professionals from over 50 different countries is redefining mobility through cutting-edge technology. Bring your talent and expertise to a company that is building a sustainable, tech-driven future for drivers everywhere.

Come join us and impact the future of AUTODOC!

About the role

• Global payroll delivery: Ensure accurate and timely payroll execution across 13 countries, acting as the final escalation point for complex payroll matters.
• Supplier strategy & provider management: Steer external vendors in coordination with our internal experts through SLAs, quality reviews, and performance evaluations, transitioning to a flexible sourcing model that reduces single-provider dependency.
• Process automation & transformation: Lead the implementation of defined AI and n8n workflow automation use cases to streamline operations and scale payroll efficiently.
• Compliance, controls & audit: Ensure adherence to local tax, social security, and labour regulations, while owning internal controls and leading internal and external audits.
• Data quality & process ownership: Partner with People Delivery to improve data accuracy, maintaining an end-to-end process on Jira that is thoroughly documented.
• Finance integration & reporting: Deliver consolidated payroll figures to Finance through a global dashboard to support financial closing and accurate HR system data flow.
• Team leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse payroll team across six countries, managing budgets, workload priorities, and performance.
• Payroll expertise: 7+ years of full-cycle payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a multi-country European setup.
• Leadership experience: 3+ years managing remotely collaborating, multi-country payroll teams.
• Vendor & audit management: Proven ability to manage external providers, negotiate contracts, set SLAs, and lead compliance and audit processes confidently.
• Transformation mindset: Track record of improving payroll processes through automation, system implementations (e.g. Workday), or provider shifts.
• Technical & tool proficiency: Strong analytical skills using Google Workspace (Google Sheets) and Gemini for AI-assisted workflows. Experience with n8n or workflow automation tools and/or Workday integration is a plus.
• Background & education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, HR, or a related field. Ideally backed-up by a relevant payroll certification.
• Languages & communication: Fluency in both English and German is required. Proven communication and stakehold

As AUTODOC continues its rapid expansion across Europe, scaling our operations efficiently requires an agile, tech-driven approach to our people processes. With a international team of around 5,500 colleagues spread across 13 countries and entities, our current payroll infrastructure is moving toward a more modern, automated, and flexible operational model. To ensure our delivery stays seamless, compliant, and scalable as we grow, we are evolving our global supplier strategy and integrating smart automation tools into our workflows.

To help us with achieving this, we are hiring a Global Payroll Manager (m/f/d) to take managerial ownership of our global payroll delivery and drive our payroll transformation strategy.

In this key leadership position, you lead a multi-national team of internal payroll experts across Germany, Ukraine, Moldova, Czechia, Poland and Portugal, while overseeing relationships with external payroll providers  as well. You drive process efficiency by delivering AI and workflow automation (such as n8n) to remove manual tasks wherever effective, while maintaining robust internal controls, audit readiness, and compliance with local tax and labour laws. Working closely with People Delivery and other Finance functions, you oversee data quality on a shared Jira board and provide consolidated reporting via a global payroll dashboard to support financial closures.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced payroll leader who thrives at the intersection of process optimization, team development, and strategy. You will have a direct impact on our operational success, steering supplier strategies and transforming how payroll scales as a key part of our fast-growing e-commerce environment.

What you will do:

What you bring to the role: