Galderma is the emerging pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market through Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human body's largest organ - the skin - meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin, we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story.
We look for people who focus on getting results, embrace learning and bring a positive energy. They must combine initiative with a sense of teamwork and collaboration. Above all, they must be passionate about doing something meaningful for consumers, patients, and the healthcare professionals we serve every day. We aim to empower each employee and promote their personal growth while ensuring business needs are met now and into the future. Across our company, we embrace diversity and respect the dignity, privacy, and personal rights of every employee.
At Galderma, we actively give our teams reasons to believe in our bold ambition to become the leading dermatology company in the world. With us, you have the ultimate opportunity to gain new and challenging work experiences and create an unparalleled, direct impact.
Position Summary
The Global Payroll and HR Technology Lead is a senior managerial role accountable for end-to-end global payroll delivery and for the governance, evolution, and operational effectiveness of HR technology—primarily Workday—for a ~7,000-employee international organization.
Reporting to the Head of HR Operations, the role ensures reliable, compliant, and efficient payroll operations across countries, while leading payroll transformation and system harmonization initiatives. In parallel, the role owns the Workday functional governance and roadmap, including configuration oversight, integrations, data quality, reporting/analytics enablement, and release management, working closely with HR, Finance, IT, external vendors, and country stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
1. Global Payroll Delivery & Governance
- Own and oversee global payroll delivery performance across all countries, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll outcomes.
- Establish and maintain a global payroll operating model, including roles and responsibilities, governance forums, escalation paths, and service performance standards.
- Define and monitor payroll KPIs/SLAs (accuracy, timeliness, controls, cost-to-serve, issue resolution), driving continuous improvement and transparency.
- Ensure appropriate vendor management where payroll is outsourced: contract governance, performance management, issue remediation, and value-for-money.
2. Payroll Transformation & Project Leadership
- Lead global and cross-country payroll projects (e.g., vendor transitions, process standardization, system changes, harmonization of calendars/cut-offs, control improvements).
- Act as overall project manager for payroll initiatives: scope, business case, planning, stakeholder management, risk/issues, decision-making cadence, and delivery governance.
- Drive standardization of payroll processes and data definitions across countries while respecting mandatory local requirements.
- Ensure solutions balance user experience, compliance, controls, and cost efficiency; challenge sub-optimal local deviations and create pragmatic global standards.
- Coordinate end-to-end change delivery including testing strategy, parallel runs, cutover planning, training, and hypercare.
3. Workday Ownership, Governance & Roadmap
- Own HR technology governance for Workday (and connected HR applications), ensuring system integrity, security-by-design, and stable operations.
- Define and maintain the Workday roadmap aligned with HR Operations priorities and broader people strategy, including enhancements and technical debt management.
- Provide functional leadership on Workday architecture and configuration choices, ensuring consistent design principles and controlled change.
- Own Workday release management: impact assessment, prioritization, sandbox testing coordination, stakeholder communications, and deployment governance.
- Oversee access/security roles and workflow controls in alignment with internal policies and audit standards.
4. Integrations, Data Quality & Analytics Enablement
- Govern the integration landscape between Workday and downstream/upstream systems (payroll providers, time, benefits, finance, identity management), ensuring stable interfaces and clear ownership.
- Drive data quality and master data management practices in Workday (data standards, validation rules, monitoring, remediation routines).
- Enable reporting and people analytics needs by ensuring accurate data structures, consistent definitions, and fit-for-purpose reporting solutions (Workday reporting and/or BI layers as applicable).
- Lead initiatives to improve data reliability and availability for operational management, compliance reporting, and business decision-making.
5. Stakeholder Management & Leadership
- Act as a senior partner to HR leadership, HRBPs, Finance, IT, and country operations, translating operational needs into scalable global solutions.
- Build strong partnerships with vendors and internal technical teams to ensure effective delivery and clear accountability.
- Provide leadership, coaching, and (where applicable) line management to payroll and/or HRIS resources; set clear priorities, ways of working, and delivery standards.
- Communicate effectively across cultures and levels, including presenting options, risks, and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
Key Requirements
- Significant experience in global payroll leadership and/or multi-country payroll operations in a matrix, international environment.
- Demonstrated project leadership experience delivering complex, cross-country payroll and/or HR technology initiatives.
- Strong Workday functional knowledge, including governance, configuration principles, release/change management, and reporting foundations.
- Solid understanding of HR master data concepts, integrations, and end-to-end HR/payroll process dependencies.
- Strong analytical skills with ability to translate operational data into actions, prioritization, and business cases.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills across HR, Finance, IT, vendors, and senior leadership.
- Strong risk/control mindset (audit readiness, internal controls, data privacy, segregation of duties).
- Fluent English (written and spoken).
Preferred / Advantageous
- Experience with payroll vendor selection/transitions and global payroll operating model design.
- Hands-on exposure to Workday integrations ecosystem and HR analytics/reporting enablement.
- Experience in shared services or global HR operations environments.
- Familiarity with data privacy requirements relevant to HR/payroll (e.g., GDPR principles) and working with InfoSec/IT controls.
Competencies
- Strategic and pragmatic: able to set standards while managing real-world local constraints.
- Delivery-focused: strong execution discipline, planning, and prioritization under pressure.
- Influential leadership: can align diverse stakeholders without relying on hierarchy.
- Process excellence: structured, control-minded, and continuous improvement oriented.
- Communication: clear, concise, and credible with both technical and non-technical audiences.
What we offer in return
- You will be working for an organization that embraces diversity & inclusion and believe we will deliver better outcomes by reflecting the perspectives of our diverse customer base.
- You will receive a competitive compensation; extended benefit package.
- You will be able to work in a hybrid work culture.
- You will be joining a growing company that believes in ownership from day one where everyone is empowered to grow and to take accountability.
Our people make a difference
At Galderma, you’ll work with people who are like you. And people that are different. We value what every member of our team brings. Professionalism, collaboration, and a friendly, supportive ethos is the perfect environment for people to thrive and excel in what they do.
