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Oyster is a global employment platform enabling companies to hire, pay, and support talent anywhere in the world. This Senior Payroll Specialist role is based in Portugal and offers ownership of Portuguese payroll operations at scale.
You will be Oyster's lead in-house payroll expert, responsible for running the complete Portuguese payroll cycle end-to-end with accuracy, compliance, and timeliness. Core responsibilities include:
- Execute full payroll cycles independently, processing high volumes of payslips monthly while maintaining 100% accuracy and regulatory compliance.
- Own master data validation for all payroll elements: new hires, terminations, salary changes, variable pay, benefits (meal vouchers, etc.), absences, and garnishments.
- Implement rigorous pre- and post-payroll controls and quality checks, investigating discrepancies and correcting issues before they impact employees or customers.
- Handle all statutory filings and government interactions: monthly IRS withholding declarations (DMR), annual Modelo 10 filings, subsídio de doença and parental reimbursement claims, and IRS withholding code management.
- Configure and maintain payroll systems (Cegid Primavera/PHC and/or Sendys), test legislative updates, troubleshoot issues, and partner with Product on automation improvements.
- Serve as subject matter expert on Portuguese tax law (Direito Fiscal), social security law (Direito da Segurança Social), labor law (Direito do Trabalho), and collective bargaining agreements.
- Oversee payroll journals, GL mappings, reconciliations with Finance, and data integrity across all payroll records.
- Own complex client escalations, combining technical expertise with customer-first problem-solving.
- Maintain statutory and ad-hoc reporting for regulatory compliance, including EU Pay Transparency Directive and GDPR obligations.
- Support internal and external audits with structured documentation.
- Mentor junior payroll specialists, improve processes, and maintain living documentation (playbooks, SOPs) to prevent knowledge silos.
Required qualifications: 5+ years running complete native Portuguese payroll independently; advanced hands-on experience with Cegid (Primavera or PHC) and/or Sendys; recognized accounting/payroll certification (e.g., Contabilista Certificado); deep current knowledge of Portuguese wage tax, social insurance, and labor law; C1/C2 Portuguese and fluent English; comfort with complex client escalations and analytical, productivity-focused mindset.
