Head - Payroll Operations - BFSI

Role Overview: We are looking for a senior HR Operations professional with strong experience in end-to-end payroll management, HR operations, statutory compliance and large-scale employee administration, preferably within the BFSI / Banking sector. The individual will be responsible for managing payroll operations for a large employee population while ensuring accuracy, compliance, governance, process efficiency and timely delivery. Key Responsibilities: - Lead end-to-end payroll operations for a large employee population. - Manage payroll processing, payroll inputs, deductions, payroll scrutiny, settlements and related compliance. - Ensure timely and accurate processing of payroll in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements. - Manage PF, Gratuity and other statutory compliance and retiral-related processes. - Ensure compliance with applicable labour laws and statutory regulations. - Manage employee lifecycle processes including joining, transfers, benefits, leave & attendance, separations and Full & Final settlements. - Manage payroll vendors and ensure adherence to defined SLAs, KPIs and service standards. - Handle HR audits, statutory audits, internal audits, risk and compliance reviews. - Ensure timely closure of audit observations and implementation of corrective actions. - Prepare and review HR MIS, dashboards and payroll reports for senior management. - Drive payroll process automation, digitisation and workflow improvements. - Lead or support HRIS / payroll system implementation, enhancement and migration projects. - Work closely with HR, Finance, Compliance, Operations and other key stakeholders. - Identify process gaps and implement appropriate controls to improve operational efficiency and minimise risk. Mandatory Requirements: - 12+ years of experience in HR Operations / Payroll. - Strong experience in end-to-end payroll management. - Experience handling large-scale payroll / large employee populations. - Experience handling payroll for 20,000+ employees will be highly preferred. - Prior experience in BFSI / Banking / Financial Services is preferred. - Strong knowledge of statutory compliance, PF, Gratuity and payroll governance. - Experience in payroll vendor management. - Exposure to HR audits, statutory audits, internal audits and compliance reviews. - Strong understanding of HRIS / Payroll systems. - Exposure to process automation and HR transformation will be an added advantage.