Senior Payroll Specialist – Global Payroll Operations

3M has a long-standing reputation as a company committed to innovation. We provide the freedom to explore and encourage curiosity and creativity. We gain new insight from diverse thinking, and take risks on new ideas. Here, you can apply your talent in bold ways that matter.Job Description:About 3MAt 3M, we believe our people are our greatest strength. We create innovative products that improve lives around the world, and behind every employee is a payroll team that ensures they are paid accurately and on time.We are looking for a Payroll Specialist– India to join our Payroll Shared Services team in Bangalore. This is an individual contributor role where you will own the India payroll process, work closely with multiple business functions, and help improve payroll operations through technology and process improvements.If you enjoy solving problems, working with data, collaborating with different teams, and driving continuous improvement, we'd love to hear from you.Role OverviewWe are seeking an experienced payroll professional to manage payroll operations across a portfolio of global countries, including India. This role will be responsible for ensuring payroll accuracy, compliance, governance, and vendor performance while partnering closely with HR, Finance, Tax, Legal, HR Technology teams, and external payroll providers.The successful candidate will serve as a trusted payroll subject matter expert, driving operational excellence, strong controls, and continuous improvement across multiple payroll jurisdictions.Key ResponsibilitiesGlobal Payroll OperationsManage payroll operations for assigned countries across APAC, EMEA, and other regions through outsourced payroll providers.Ensure payrolls are processed accurately, compliantly, and on time.Review and validate payroll inputs including:New hiresEmployee exitsVariable compensationBenefits and deductionsReimbursementsStatutory changesPerform detailed payroll reconciliations and variance analysis against prior periods and approved source data.Manage payroll calendars and critical processing milestones across multiple countries.Oversee payroll vendor performance and service delivery to ensure agreed service levels are consistently achieved.Ensure accurate reporting and taxation of equity compensation, cash and non-cash benefits where applicable.Support employee lifecycle payroll activities including onboarding, transfers, expatriate movements, Full & Final settlements, and offboarding activities.Resolve employee payroll queries accurately and within agreed service levels.Collaborate with global payroll teams, HR Technology teams, and external payroll providers to enhance payroll processes, systems, and service delivery.Explore opportunities to leverage automation, analytics, and AI-enabled payroll solutions to improve efficiency and payroll accuracy.Statutory Compliance & GovernanceAct as a subject matter expert for country-specific payroll regulations, taxation requirements, and statutory compliance obligations across assigned countries.Ensure compliance with all applicable payroll legislation, tax regulations, and employment-related statutory requirements.Maintain strong working knowledge of India payroll legislation, including:Provident Fund (PF)Employee State Insurance (ESI)Professional Tax (PT)Income TaxLabour law requirementsOversee payroll tax filings, statutory submissions, regulatory reporting, and required payments across assigned countries.Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and ensure timely implementation of required payroll process updates.Maintain robust payroll controls, governance frameworks, and audit-ready documentation.Support internal, external, statutory, and SOX-related audits through accurate reporting, documentation, and evidence management.Identify payroll compliance risks and partner with stakeholders and payroll providers to implement effective remediation and control measures.Ensure payroll processes operate in accordance with company policies, internal controls, and global governance standards.Stakeholder ManagementServe as the primary point of contact for payroll-related matters across assigned countries.Partner closely with HR, Finance, Tax, Legal, HR Technology teams, and external payroll providers.Build strong relationships with regional and global stakeholders to enhance payroll service delivery and employee experience.Support Finance with payroll accruals, reconciliations, forecasting, and budgeting activities.Provide payroll insights and reporting to support business and compliance requirements.Reporting, Controls & Continuous ImprovementPrepare payroll, compliance, headcount, and management reports.Conduct payroll validations, risk assessments, and control reviews.Perform regular audits and quality checks to ensure payroll accuracy and compliance.Investigate payroll discrepancies, identify root causes, and drive issues through to resolution.Drive process standardization, automation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement initiatives.Maintain payroll process documentation, standard operating procedures, and control frameworks.Support payroll transformation, migration, and change management initiatives where applicable.Required QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Payroll, or a related discipline.Minimum 8-10 years of payroll experience within a multinational organization, with exposure to global payroll operations.Strong knowledge of India payroll processing, taxation, and statutory compliance requirements.Experience managing payroll vendors and outsourced payroll service providers.Strong analytical, reconciliation, and problem-solving capabilities.Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with other Microsoft Office applications.Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and take ownership of end-to-end deliverables.Strong attention to detail a