Job Title - Manager, HR Governance

About the Function

Our Global Business Operations (GBO) team are facilitators, providing strategic, financial, and business services that are critical to the day-to-day performance of our business. With a team of over 2,000 dedicated and passionate people supporting 21 markets across the world, we have offices in Bangalore, Budapest, Bogota, and Manila.

Our global remit offers huge learning opportunities. We encourage learning and development in skills needed now and in the future across digital, industry, professional, and domain. Wherever you start, you'll be rewarded with a world view and the recognition you deserve in our inclusive and supportive culture.

About the Role

Diageo Global Business Operations (GBO) is a key enabler of Diageo's Performance Ambition, providing extraordinary shared services and standardized HR processes across all markets. Within this ecosystem, the Payroll Design & Excellence team ensures payroll operates efficiently, compliantly, and consistently across both GBO and non-GBO countries.

The team owns global payroll process design, governance, and continuous improvement, ensuring end-to-end alignment across systems, vendors, and markets. It partners with HR, Finance, and Technology to assess As-Is processes, define To-Be models, and maintain global standards that support Diageo's transformation agenda.

The Payroll Manager will act as a process governance and excellence leader, ensuring payroll changes (business, system, or regulatory) are effectively designed, documented, and implemented across regions. This role drives global consistency, controls, and simplification, ensuring that all payroll operations-regardless of geography-adhere to best-in-class processes and governance frameworks.

Financials:

Drive efficiency and cost optimization through global payroll process standardization.

Ensure controls, audit readiness, and governance frameworks minimize financial risk.

Support vendor performance management and cost accountability through clear KPIs and SLAs.

Regional Complexity:

Oversee payroll design and process governance across multiple geographies, including GBO-managed and non-GBO markets.

Navigate diverse legislation, vendor systems, and compliance frameworks.

Balance transformation goals with local market requirements and operational realities

Relationship:

Partner with Payroll Operations teams, HR, Finance, Technology, and Transformation functions globally.

Handle payroll vendor relationships and ensure alignment with global process design and governance.

Collaborate closely with HR Process Governance and HR Systems teams to ensure end-to-end process alignment and effective system enablement.

Represent payroll within global process governance forums and drive alignment across customers.

Purpose of Role:

This role will lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of global payroll processes. The role ensures that payroll operations are efficient, compliant, and standardized across all markets, with robust controls and consistent ways of working.

The incumbent will also support payroll transformation initiatives by assessing existing processes, redesigning future-state models, implementing global standards, and driving process and technology improvements. Acting as a global process owner, this role provides strategic guidance, process expertise, and governance oversight across all payroll operations and transformation programs.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Payroll Process Governance & Design

. Design, create, and maintain global payroll process policies, frameworks, and standards.

. Define KPIs and targets to measure payroll process performance and provide insights on outcomes.

. Establish and track process metrics to assess efficiency, compliance, and control effectiveness.

. Govern payroll processes by developing improvement plans and driving corrective actions where necessary.

. Ensure alignment with HR strategy, global policies, and compliance frameworks.

. Maintain an external perspective on best-in-class payroll processes and apply findings to continuous improvement.

2. Payroll Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement

. Lead payroll process simplification, automation, and global standardization initiatives.

. Maintain global documentation, process maps, and governance tools to ensure clarity and consistency.

. Build process knowledge and awareness within GBO and non-GBO payroll teams.

. Drive the elimination of audit findings and process risks in collaboration with global control teams.

. Monitor process KPIs and implement targeted improvement initiatives.

3. Payroll Transformation & Change Management

. Support transformation projects by assessing As-Is processes and designing future To-Be models.

. Define segregation of duties and embed strong governance controls into redesigned processes.

. Partner with HR Systems and Transformation teams to support UAT, process testing, and deployment of new system capabilities.

. Ensure payroll design supports scalability and efficiency in line with business priorities.

4. HR Process and HCM System Integration

. Develop strong understanding of HR and payroll system interdependencies (Workday, SAP).

. Partner with HRIS and GBO Workday teams to handle system upgrades, testing, and process enablement.

. Ensure payroll design aligns with HR process governance and supports end-to-end process efficiency.

. Drive the effective and efficient use of HR technology investments across markets.

. Systems thinking is crucial for handling the interconnected processes and customers involved in global mobility, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.

5. Compliance, Controls & Risk Management

. Define and embed appropriate controls within global payroll processes.

. Coordinate timely closure of audit findings and mitigation of process risks.

. Ensure payroll processes align with Diageo's global policies, statutory obligations, and data privacy principles.

. A deep understanding of local, national, and international compensation-related laws and regulations (e.g., minimum wage, overtime, pay equity laws) is crucial for ensuring legal compliance and mitigating risk. This expertise is critically needed in compensation roles.

6. Customer, Vendor & Project Management

. Act as the subject matter authority for global payroll design and governance.

. Engage and influence senior customers to ensure alignment with process governance standards.

. Handle global payroll vendor relationships to ensure consistency, compliance, and service excellence.

. Represent payroll in global governance forums, HR process boards, and change advisory meetings.

. Translate business requirements into process and system design, ensuring business readiness for change.

Qualifications & Experience:

8-10 years of experience in payroll, process design, or HR transformation in a multinational environment.

Deep understanding of payroll governance, process design, and system integration.

Strong knowledge of HRIS/HCM systems (Workday) and payroll technologies.

Experience in driving global process improvements, automation, and standardization.

Strong project management, customer engagement, and communication skills. Experience in handling vendor performance and service delivery governance.

Knowledge of global compliance, audit controls, and risk management frameworks.

Skills & Capabilities:

Technical & Functional Skills:

. Payroll Process Design & Governance: Tried expertise in designing and governing global payroll processes, with a strong understanding of end-to-end dependencies, compliance, and controls.

. Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement: Skilled in identifying improvement areas, implementing simplification and automation, and maintaining global process documentation and KPIs.

. HRIS & Payroll Systems: Good understanding of Workday, SAP, or Oracle integrations able to support payroll system changes, UAT, and enhancements in collaboration with HRIS and vendor teams.

. Transformation & Change Management: Experienced in assessing As-Is processes, designing To-Be models, and leading payroll transformation or process improvement initiatives across multiple geographies.

. Compliance & Risk Control: Strong awareness of payroll-related regulatory requirements, CARM/SOX controls, and audit management.

. Process Mapping Tools (Microsoft Visio, Aris): Experience in documenting process maps which would help assess the gaps in the As-Is and define the To-be to enable compliant and efficient processes

Leadership & Behavioural Skills:

. Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Ability to connect payroll processes to business strategy, anticipate risks, and design scalable solutions.

. Customer & Vendor Management: Collaborating with HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal, and senior leadership is critical. Handling their expectations, gathering input, and communicating data-driven recommendations ensures compensation programs are well-received and aligned with various departmental needs

. Collaboration & Global Attitude: Comfortable operating in a cross-cultural environment, promoting consistent ways of working across GBO and non-GBO markets.

. Effective Communication: Able to influence senior customers and translate complex process or system topics into clear, actionable messages.

. Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in dynamic, changing environments while balancing strategic projects and operational priorities.

Core Skills

. Strategic Planning: Supplying to the long-term vision for compensation and benefits, aligning programs with future business needs, and anticipating market trends requires strategic planning capabilities. This ensures total rewards remain competitive and effective over time

. Resilience & Adaptability: The payroll and compensation landscape is constantly evolving due to market shifts, economic conditions, and regulatory changes. Process Excellence managers need to be resilient in handling complex data and adaptable in adjusting strategies to new circumstances

. Resilience & Adaptability: The payroll and compensation landscape is constantly evolving due to market shifts, economic conditions, and regulatory changes. Process Excellence managers need to be resilient in handling complex data and adaptable in adjusting strategies to new circumstances

Flexible Working Statement:

Flexibility is key to our success. From part-time and compressed hours to different locations, our people work flexibly in ways to suit them. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you're supported from day one.

Diversity statement:

Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.

We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you'll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You'll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, attitudes, and more.

Ourambitionistocreatethebestperforming,mosttrustedandrespectedconsumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.

Feel inspired Then this may be the opportunity for you.