Senior Payroll Specialist

Adidas

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization

This role serves as a key senior payroll specialist within the GBS H2R Services team for Japan, with responsibility for managing Japan payroll operations and benefits-related processes. The role supports the Team Leader and collaborates closely with Japan HR stakeholders, GBS H2R Dalian team members and third-party vendors across the following service areas:

• Core Japan payroll operations, including payroll calculation, tax, audit support and related operational activities
• Compensation, statutory benefits and related processes
• Time management
• Vendor management
• Employee inquiries
• Support for other Japan-specific statutory, operational and process requirements
• Payroll system support, UAT, parallel runs and related impact management

Key Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end Japan payroll operations for Corporate and Retail employees, ensuring accurate, timely and compliant delivery in line with local requirements and internal standards;

• Perform validation, reconciliation, exception handling and control checks across payroll outputs, inputs and related HR data to ensure completeness, accuracy and proper support;

• Manage Japan-specific processes covering tax, statutory benefits, year-end activities, audits, reporting, employee inquiries and other local operational requirements;

• Coordinate benefits, time management and HR program impacts, ensuring relevant changes are reflected accurately in downstream processes;

• Support system upgrades, UAT, parallel runs and process transitions, including impact assessment, issue follow-up and change communication with relevant stakeholders;

• Work closely with Japan HR stakeholders, GBS H2R Dalian team members and third-party vendors to ensure smooth service delivery, timely issue resolution and effective vendor management;

• Maintain process documentation, control evidence and work instructions to support review, audit readiness, business continuity and knowledge transfer;

• Identify process risks and improvement opportunities, and drive practical actions to strengthen control effectiveness, service quality and operational efficiency.

• Key Relationships

• Internal Relationships

• Global Functional Teams

• Japan HR Community, including HRBP, Rewards, Talent Acquisition and Talent Partner teams

• GBS H2R Dalian Team

• External Relationships

• Payroll & Social insurance Services Vendors

• Statutory benefits and other local service providers

• Government authorities, external auditors, tax and compliance advisors

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong hands-on knowledge of Japan payroll operations, statutory requirements and local compliance practices;

• Good understanding of Japan tax, statutory benefits, year-end adjustment, social insurance and related employee lifecycle impacts;

• Familiarity with Japan Retail workforce practices, including working hours, overtime, allowances, leave-related payments and attendance/time management processes;

• Experience with leading Japan payroll systems, local time management systems and other HR/payroll-related platforms; system implementation experience is an advantage;

• Advanced Excel and data reconciliation skills; Access, Python, AI or automation experience is an advantage;

• Strong analytical mindset, attention to detail and ability to identify risks, exceptions and improvement opportunities;

• Good communication, stakeholder management and vendor management skills, with the ability to work effectively with Japan HR, GBS teams and external service providers;

• Strong service mindset, ownership and ability to manage priorities independently in a changing environment;

• Continuous learning mindset and willingness to keep local knowledge, process understanding and system capability up to date.

• Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications

• Professional Background / Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of hands-on end-to-end payroll experience in Japan. Experience in the retail industry and with benefits is required. Experience using AI is highly desirable.

Education

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience

• Regional Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of Japan payroll business needs, company rules, local payroll practices, retail payroll implications, local regulations and HR/payroll compliance obligations.

• Knowledge of Japan payroll legislation and practices is a must.

• Language Skills

• Fluent Japanese and good command of spoken English.

• At adidas, we strongly believe that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our culture and talent processes gives our employees a sense of belonging and our brand a real competitive advantage.

• – Culture Starts With People, It Starts With You –

• By recruiting talent and developing our people to reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we foster a culture of inclusion that engages our employees and authentically connects our brand with our consumers.