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PearsonPE

Advanced Specialist, Payroll (France)

Pearson plc is a leading global education company that provides a wide range of learning materials and educational services to help learners and educators succeed.

Pearson

Employee count: 1001-5000

Poland only

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Job title: Advanced Specialist, Payroll (France)

Role Overview

We are seeking an Adcvanced Payroll Specialist to support a portfolio of European countries, with France as the primary and highest-priority market. Deep, hands-on expertise in French payroll is required and is a core expectation of this role.

This role operates in a complex, multinational environment and requires strong professional judgment, independence, and resilience. In addition to payroll delivery, the role serves as a trusted advisor and contributes to payroll optimization and AI-readiness initiatives that support the organization’s future-state strategy.

Why Join Our Team

Our payroll team is evolving into a modern, strategic capability, and that work has been recognized by the broader payroll community. Our team members have been featured in industry podcasts and publications for our approach to payroll transformation, optimization, and future readiness.

You’ll join a collaborative, globally connected team that is investing in people, processes, and technology, with a clear focus on data quality, automation, and AI readiness. This is a great place to grow your career, expand your international payroll expertise, and contribute to a payroll function that is respected both inside and outside the organization.

Key Responsibilities

French Payroll (Primary Responsibility)

  • Serve as the primary subject-matter expert for French payroll, including statutory requirements, social charges, DSN reporting, year-end activities, and ongoing compliance obligations
    • Ensure accuracy, timeliness, and regulatory compliance for French payroll in partnership with in-country vendors and internal stakeholders
    • Interpret and clearly explain complex French payroll outcomes to HR, Finance, and People leaders
    European Payroll Portfolio Support
    • Support payroll operations for a defined portfolio of European countries, inclusive of France
    • Partner with vendors and regional stakeholders to ensure consistent payroll delivery and effective issue resolution
    Trusted Advisor & Stakeholder Partnership
    • Act as a trusted payroll advisor to HR, Finance, Tax, and People Operations stakeholders
    • Provide clear, practical guidance on payroll impacts, risks, and trade-offs related to business decisions and employee lifecycle events
    • Represent payroll confidently in audits, reviews, and cross-functional discussions
    Issue Management & Professional Judgment
    • Independently identify, assess, and resolve payroll issues, including complex or non-standard scenarios
    • Determine when to escalate matters, challenge assumptions, or recommend alternative approaches
    • Maintain professionalism and composure in high-pressure or time-sensitive situations
    Optimization, AI Readiness & Career Growth
    • Contribute to process optimization, documentation, and standardization across European payroll operations
    • Support initiatives that improve data quality, controls, and consistency, enabling increased automation and analytics
    • Engage in continuous learning and development as payroll capabilities evolve, with opportunities to expand scope, expertise, and influence over time

What Success Looks Like

  • Payroll is delivered accurately, compliantly, and with stability
    • Stakeholders view payroll as a trusted advisor
    • Payroll processes and data are increasingly structured and ready for advanced automation and analytics
    • The role holder continues to grow in capability, confidence, and impact within the global payroll organization

Required Experience & Qualifications

  • Extensive, hands-on experience with French payroll (required and priority)
    • Experience supporting European payroll operations within a multinational environment
    • Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage complexity
    • Experience partnering with external payroll vendors and service delivery models
    • Fluency in English required; French language proficiency preferred

Key Attributes for Success

  • Resilient and composed in complex or high-pressure environments
    • Confident, credible communicator with sound professional judgment

• Resourceful and solution-oriented

  • Growth-minded, with interest in expanding skills, embracing new technologies, and advancing a payroll career

While France is the focal point, this position will also support payroll operations across additional European countries within an assigned portfolio. For any countries within the portfolio where prior experience is limited or not yet developed, structured training, documentation, and on-the-job support will be provided to ensure success.

About the job

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Job type

Full Time

Experience level

Location requirements

Hiring timezones

Poland +/- 0 hours

About Pearson

Learn more about Pearson and their company culture.

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Pearson plc is the world's leading learning company, dedicated to helping people realize their potential through learning. Established in 1844, Pearson has evolved into a multinational corporation that delivers educational content and assessment services across the globe. With a commitment to innovation, Pearson integrates modern technology into its educational products, making learning accessible and engaging for all ages.

Headquartered in London, England, Pearson operates in over 70 countries and employs approximately 24,000 people. The company is organized into various divisions that focus on different educational segments including higher education, K-12 education, and workforce training. These divisions work synergistically to provide tailored solutions that cater to the unique needs of learners, educators, and institutions worldwide. Pearson is recognized for its extensive portfolio, which includes textbooks, digital learning resources, assessments, and online courses that facilitate student success and improve educational outcomes.

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