Manager Payroll / Payroll Team Lead (m/f/d)

The Role

Imperial Brands is a leading global FMCG company with more than 25,000 employees worldwide, operating across highly complex international supply chains and business models. As part of our ongoing global transformation, our central functions play a critical role in enabling a compliant, efficient, and employee-focused organisation.

We are seeking an experienced Manager Payroll (m/f/d) to lead our payroll operations across Germany. Reporting directly to the Head of Compensation & Benefits and P&C Analytics, this is a high-visibility leadership role offering the opportunity to shape and optimise payroll processes, systems, and compliance frameworks. You will benefit from a flexible 50% hybrid working model, splitting your time between remote work and our Hamburg office on a quarterly basis.

Principle Accountabilities

• Operational Excellence: Ensure accurate and timely payroll and pension processing for a diverse workforce, including active employees, pensioners, and international assignees.
• Team Leadership: Lead, develop, and motivate a team of payroll specialists across multiple locations, managing both disciplinary duties and hands-on operational support.
• P&C Analytics & System Ownership: Conduct evaluations and reports from SAP and Workday for stakeholders, including the leadership team, auditors, and Group, while owning and managing SAP HCM to oversee legal updates, collective agreements, and operational system changes.
• Strategic Transformation: Drive payroll transformation projects, specifically the phase-out of SAP HCM and the evaluation of future solutions within a Workday environment.
• Process Optimisation: Simplify and standardise payroll workflows to ensure scalable, efficient operations and continuous improvement.
• Compliance & Governance: Ensure strict adherence to statutory tax and social security requirements, data protection standards, and internal/external audit protocols.

Skills and Experience Required

• Payroll Expertise: Deep knowledge of German tax, social security, and labour law in a corporate setting.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead and engage teams through change and operational challenges.
• Technical Skills: Essential hands-on SAP HCM expertise; Workday experience is a significant advantage.
• Change Management: Experience managing complex payroll projects and system transitions.
• Operational Mindset: Proactive ability to translate strategic initiatives into daily execution.
• Communication: Business fluent German and English; comfortable in international matrix structures.

What We Offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and further benefits as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at recruitment@impbrands.com to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.  Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

As a matter of policy, Imperial Tobacco or its subsidiaries never requests or requires payment as part of any recruitment process.