Project Manager – Payroll, Absence & Time Tracking

How will you CONTRIBUTE and GROW?

THIS IS A FIXED-TERM CONTRACT ROLE (12 to 24 months).
We are looking for a Program Manager to lead the end-to-end implementation of the new payroll provider(s) and Workday Time Tracking and Absence module for all Air Liquide entities in Middle East, India and Africa in a phased manner. The position is expected to work in tandem with the providers’ program manager and responsible for planning, readiness, and successful implementation and stabilization of the TT&A module as well as the new payroll provider(s) across the scope.

Key Responsibilities:

• Establish a clear and aligned scope with the key stakeholders - Steering committee, Country leadership teams, provider(s) and the Global BSC, identify dependencies and develop a robust implementation plan with clear timelines.

• Establish, monitor and implement tight budgetary control

• Participate and contribute to the Tool(s) and payroll provider(s) selection process

• Establish and maintain a clear project governance structure and a consistent reporting cadence, which involves facilitating regular meetings for both the steering committee and project stakeholders.

• Drive the delivery of Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking implementations and enhancements across multiple legal entities in these countries

• Lead cutover planning, including data migration, system readiness, blackout windows, and go/no-go criteria

• Define and manage a structured hypercare plan with clear support pathways, ownership, and escalation processes.

• Coordinate with local deployment project managers in each country to align timelines, legal requirements, and go-live activities

• Coordinate penny tests, payroll parallel runs, and validation cycles across systems and vendors

• Oversee and validate GL file postings

• Collaborate with Finance on Kyriba integration setup, including bank file formats, payments testing, and approvals. 

• Serve as the primary interface between HRDS, BSC, HR, Country Project Manager,  Finance, IT, and external vendors. 

• Track and coordinate program risks, change control, and program governance routines

• Coordinate with country PMs, BSC, and HR to translate business requirements into system designs and configuration, especially in  Absence, Time Tracking, and Payroll. 

• Define, support, track, and report test strategies including SITs, SBTs, and Parallel runs. 

• Coordinate the actions to ensure master data quality and alignment between HRIS, payroll engines, and finance systems.

• Monitor and report program KPIs and readiness gates to executive stakeholders

• Coordinate training and change management ensuring proper knowledge transfer.

• Conduct post-implementation reviews to analyze outcomes and capture key lessons learned for future country deployments.

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Are you a MATCH?

Qualification & Skills:

Must-Have: 

• 8 plus years of experience in global payroll/HR tech program deliveries

• At least 2 full lifecycle implementations of payroll and TT&A projects in the region

• Proven experience with Workday, Absence and Time, and Integrations. 

• Strong understanding of GL posting and bank payment testing

• Hands-on experience with cutover, hypercare, parallel runs, and country rollouts

• Strong cross-functional leadership and program management skills.

• Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple workstreams.

• Ability to drive accountability across cross-functional teams.

• Awareness of applicable privacy and labour laws 

Nice to Have:

• Experience working with multi-country payroll deployments (especially in the AMEI region).

• Project management certification.

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At Air Liquide, we are committed to build a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, comm