PURPOSE & OVERALL RELEVANCE FOR THE ORGANIZATION
adidas Global Business Services delivers high‑quality services across Finance and HR functions for adidas companies in Europe and the Americas. Within HR Services, the Payroll & Compliance function ensures accurate employee compensation, operational excellence, and strict adherence to legal requirements.
The Manager Payroll & Compliance Switzerland operates as a strategic individual contributor for Swiss payroll operations and compliance. This role ensures flawless execution of end‑to‑end payroll, strong governance, and full compliance with Swiss tax, labour, and social security rules.
- Execute, oversee, and validate monthly end‑to‑end Swiss payroll processing, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with all legislative requirements (tax, social security, labour law).
- Ensure flawless compliance with salary taxability rules, implementing robust internal controls and timely corrective actions in alignment with audit expectations.
- Drive the transition to In‑House Payroll, including process design, implementation of controls, and vendor offboarding where applicable.
- Provide expert guidance on complex payroll scenarios involving senior leadership populations, expatriates, mobility cases, and shadow payroll requirements.
- Conduct root‑cause analysis for payroll issues, propose improvement plans, and coordinate with Tech, Legal, Finance, Tax, Rewards, and Mobility to implement sustainable solutions.
- Maintain and update payroll process documentation, SOPs, and internal control frameworks to ensure audit readiness and compliance.
- Support internal and external audits by preparing documentation, responding to inquiries, and ensuring alignment with global and local standards.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with HR Partners, Rewards, Mobility, Finance, Tax, Legal, and external authorities and vendors.
- Ensure governance, confidentiality, and data security of all payroll‑related information.
- Prepare payroll and statutory reports for internal stakeholders and Swiss authorities.
- Contribute to operational excellence and harmonization initiatives across GBS H2R Payroll.
- Support testing and implementation of payroll tools and processes related to the Hire to Retire Strategy.
- Act as a role model in compliance with Swiss legislation, adidas Fair Play Code of Conduct, and all corporate policies.
- GBS H2R & Payroll EU leadership
- HR Partners
- HR Experts: Rewards, Mobility, Talent
- Finance and Tax departments
- Legal department
- External authorities and consultants
- Payroll vendors (where applicable)
- Senior corporate population & Swiss leadership stakeholders
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Strong knowledge of Swiss payroll, taxation, labour law, and social security legislation.
- Deep understanding of international mobility, expatriate taxation, and shadow payroll processes.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with high attention to detail.
- Experience with process governance, internal controls, and audit preparation.
- Affinity with HR and payroll systems; SAP HR/EC experience preferred.
- Strong customer focus with ability to manage senior stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize, and manage high‑complexity tasks.
- High resilience and adaptability in a multi‑country, changing environment
- Excellent communication skills in English. (German highly valued)
REQUISITE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE / MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- University degree in Business Administration, HR, Finance, or similar field.
- Several years of experience in Swiss payroll operations, including handling complex cases and mobility scenarios.
- Proven expertise in managing transitions between outsourced and in‑house payroll models
- Strong experience interacting with payroll vendors and/or authorities.
- Strong understanding of audits, compliance frameworks, and payroll governance.
- Proficiency with MS Office and HR systems.
