Payroll Master

The Payroll Master is responsible for the overall leadership, governance, accuracy, timeliness, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance of the hospital’s payroll administration.

The role serves as the technical and operational owner of the payroll function and ensures that employee salaries, allowances, premiums, deductions, adjustments, and final pay are processed accurately and released within established payroll schedules.

The Payroll Master leads payroll controls, payroll system administration, payroll reconciliation, exception management, and continuous process improvement. The role also coordinates closely with Timekeeping, Benefits Management, Finance, Accounting, Employee Relations, Human Resources Information System support, and other concerned departments to ensure the integrity and completeness of payroll data.

1. Payroll Administration and Processing

• Lead the complete end-to-end payroll process for all employees of Makati Life Medical Center.
• Ensure accurate computation of basic salary, overtime, night shift differential, holiday pay, rest day premiums, allowances, incentives, deductions, adjustments, and other payroll components.
• Validate payroll inputs before processing and ensure that only authorized and properly documented transactions are included.
• Review payroll registers, variance reports, adjustment schedules, and payroll summaries before final endorsement.
• Ensure that payroll is processed and released according to the approved payroll calendar.
• Manage special payroll runs, off-cycle payroll, salary corrections, retroactive adjustments, and final pay computations.
• Ensure correct implementation of approved salary movements, promotions, transfers, salary adjustments, and other personnel actions.

1. Payroll Governance and Controls

• Establish and maintain payroll controls, review procedures, validation checkpoints, and approval workflows.
• Ensure proper segregation of duties between payroll preparation, validation, review, approval, and release.
• Conduct payroll variance analysis and investigate significant or unusual payroll movements.
• Maintain a complete audit trail for payroll transactions, adjustments, corrections, and approvals.
• Ensure that payroll records are accurate, complete, secure, and available for internal or external audit.
• Identify payroll risks and promptly escalate significant exceptions to the AVP HR and Deputy HR Manager.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions for payroll errors, recurring exceptions, or control gaps.

1. Payroll System and Data Management

• Serve as the principal functional owner of the payroll module of the Human Resources Information System.
• Ensure correct system configuration of payroll rules, salary rates, deductions, premiums, leave deductions, and statutory requirements.
• Coordinate with HRIS developers, Finance, Accounting, and system providers regarding payroll system requirements, testing, enhancements, and issue resolution.
• Participate in payroll parallel runs, user acceptance testing, payroll system migration, and implementation activities.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of employee payroll master data.
• Maintain confidentiality and controlled access to payroll records and employee compensation information.

1. Timekeeping and Payroll Input Coordination

• Coordinate with the Timekeeping and Attendance Administration team to ensure timely submission and validation of attendance data.
• Validate overtime, leave deductions, absences, tardiness, undertime, missed logs, schedule changes, and premium eligibility before payroll processing.
• Return incomplete or unsupported payroll inputs to the concerned unit for correction.
• Monitor recurring timekeeping issues that affect payroll accuracy and recommend process improvements.
• Ensure that payroll cut-off requirements and submission deadlines are clearly communicated and enforced.

1. Statutory and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure payroll administration complies with applicable labor laws, wage orders, tax regulations, government requirements, and company policies.
• Coordinate with the Government Benefits team regarding SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, withholding tax, loans, statutory deductions, and remittances.
• Ensure that statutory deductions reflected in payroll are accurate and supported by proper schedules.
• Support the preparation of payroll-related reports required by government agencies, auditors, and Management.
• Monitor regulatory changes affecting payroll and recommend timely system or policy adjustments.

1. Payroll Reconciliation and Finance Coordination

• Reconcile payroll registers with payroll funding requirements, general ledger accounts, deduction schedules, and Finance records.
• Coordinate with Finance and Accounting regarding payroll funding, payroll booking, accruals, adjustments, and reconciliation issues.
• Review payroll-related liabilities, deductions, advances, loans, and receivables before endorsement.
• Ensure that payroll totals and supporting schedules are complete and reconciled before release.
• Assist in resolving payroll discrepancies identified during financial or internal audits.

1. Employee Payroll Concerns and Service Delivery

• Ensure payroll inquiries, salary discrepancies, deductions, adjustments, and employee concerns are addressed within prescribed service-level agreements.
• Review and resolve escalated payroll concerns in coordination with HR, Finance, and concerned department heads.
• Ensure that employees receive clear, accurate, and professional explanations regarding payroll transactions.
• Monitor recurring payroll inquiries and recommend preventive communication or process improvements.
• Protect employee confidentiality and handle sensitive compensation information with discretion.

1. Team Leadership and Supervision

• Provide direction, supervision, coaching, and technical guidance to the HR Payroll Assistant Manager and Payroll Associate.
• Assign payroll responsibilities and ensure clear accountability for each payroll activity.
• Review team performance against established KPIs, deadlines, quality standards, and service-level agreements.
• Develop the payroll team’s technical capability, backup readiness, and business continuity arrangements.
• Promote accuracy, confidentiality, discipline, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the section.
• Recommend training, development, recognition, or corrective action as appropriate.

1. Payroll Reporting and Analytics

• Prepare and submit payroll reports, payroll cost summaries, variance analyses, headcount-related payroll reports, and management dashboards.
• Monitor payroll cost trends, overtime costs, allowances, deductions, and unusual payroll movements.
• Provide reliable payroll data for manpower planning, budgeting, workforce analytics, and management decision-making.
• Ensure that reports are submitted accurately and within the prescribed reporting schedule.
• Coordinate with the Deputy HR Manager on payroll KPIs, SLA performance, risks, and improvement plans.

1. Process Improvement and Business Continuity

• Review payroll workflows and recommend improvements in efficiency, accuracy, automation, and control.
• Maintain documented payroll procedures, process maps, checklists, control matrices, and contingency protocols.
• Ensure that payroll operations can continue during emergencies, system outages, absences, or operational disruptions.
• Maintain payroll backup procedures and cross-training arrangements.
• Lead payroll-related transformation initiatives and support broader HR process improvement projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting; CPA is an advantage but not required.
• Relevant postgraduate education or payroll certification is an advantage.

• At least five years of progressive experience in payroll administration.
• At least two years of experience in a supervisory, lead, or payroll ownership role.
• Experience handling payroll in a hospital, healthcare institution, or 24/7 operations environment is highly preferred.
• Experience with payroll systems, HRIS implementation, payroll reconciliation, and statutory compliance is required.

• Philippine payroll laws and wage regulations
• Overtime, holiday, rest day, and night shift differential computation
• Withholding tax and statutory deductions
• Payroll reconciliation and payroll accounting coordination
• Payroll systems and HRIS
• Timekeeping and attendance integration
• Final pay and payroll adjustment processing
• Payroll reporting, controls, and audit documentation

• Payroll technical expertise
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• Risk and control orientation
• Confidentiality and professional judgment
• Planning and deadline management
• Leadership and team supervision
• Stakeholder coordination
• Process improvement
• Data interpretation and reporting
• Integrity and accountability

Leadership Expectations

The Payroll Master is expected to:

• Demonstrate ownership of payroll accuracy and service delivery.
• Maintain strict confidentiality over employee and compensation information.
• Exercise sound judgment in managing sensitive payroll issues.
• Provide clear direction and technical leadership to the payroll team.
• Promote accountability, discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Escalate significant risks promptly and transparently.
• Support the broader objectives of the Human Resources Department and Makati Life Medical Center.

General Provision

The Payroll Master may be assigned other payroll-related, HR operations, compliance, reporting, system implementation, or organizational responsibilities consistent with the position and as may be directed by the AVP HR / Head of Human Resources or Management.