Payroll and People Operations Specialist

About the role

A international engineering, design and advisory company is seeking a proactive, detail-oriented and service-oriented Payroll and People Operations Specialist to support its growing business in Saudi Arabia. The role delivers accurate and compliant payroll and HR operational services across the employee lifecycle, in line with Saudi labour legislation, payroll regulations and company policy. You will work with employees, managers, Finance, external payroll providers and the wider EMEA People Operations team.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate and support monthly payroll processing, including administration through external providers such as Mawarit
• Collect, review and validate payroll inputs such as new hires, terminations, salary changes, bonuses, allowances, overtime, leave and final settlements
• Process employee leave transactions and keep accurate leave balances and records
• Coordinate monthly personnel expense reimbursements and ensure timely payroll payments
• Review payroll reports before approval and submission, and respond to employee and manager queries
• Ensure compliance with local payroll legislation, statutory requirements and GOSI regulations, and keep payroll documentation and GOSI records up to date
• Coordinate employee medical insurance enrolments, amendments and terminations, and support annual salary reviews and bonus administration
• Manage the employee lifecycle: onboarding, employment contracts, data changes, promotions, transfers and offboarding, including coordination with external partners
• Support visa administration, including exit/re-entry visas, Iqama renewals and other mobility requirements
• Maintain accurate employee records, support HR system compliance with Saudi labour law, and act as a point of contact for HR operational matters

Required profile

• Saudi nationality is an essential requirement; other nationalities without the right to work are not accepted
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources or a related field
• Minimum 3 years' experience in payroll administration, people operations or a similar HR role
• Strong knowledge of Saudi labour law, payroll regulations, GOSI requirements and employee administration
• Experience with external payroll providers and payroll systems
• Professional proficiency in both English and Arabic

Required skills

• High attention to detail, strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Experience with HRIS platforms; SAP SuccessFactors experience is advantageous