Senior Payroll Specialist

About Helsing

Helsing is a defence AI company with a mission to help safeguard democratic societies. The company focuses on building technological leadership so open societies can retain sovereign decision-making and uphold their own ethical standards.

Helsing views the development and deployment of powerful technologies such as AI as a serious responsibility. The team is made up of engineers, AI specialists, and client-facing programme managers working across Europe on high-impact, mission-driven problems. The culture values openness, transparency, and constructive debate around the use of technology in defence and its ethical consequences.

Role overview

Payroll is treated as a core trust function at Helsing rather than a purely administrative task. In this senior role, you will take ownership of accurate and compliant payroll preparation and delivery across international entities, with a strong emphasis on the DACH region. Payroll is executed with the support of an external tax adviser, and the role is responsible for ensuring all upstream information is complete, accurate, and delivered on schedule.

You will work closely with the Payroll Team Lead, HR, and Finance to help the payroll setup grow alongside the business. The position offers broad scope: leading statutory compliance efforts, serving as the main escalation contact for complex payroll issues, improving processes through automation and HRIS integration, and supporting junior team members. The work is detailed, high-impact, and sits at the intersection of people operations, finance, and business operations.

Key responsibilities

• Compile and validate payroll inputs across several entities and regions, making sure all material shared with the external tax adviser is complete, correct, and submitted on time.
• Act as the first point of escalation for difficult payroll questions and resolve them with accuracy, care, and clear communication.
• Coordinate with external payroll vendors, the Steuerberater, and BPO partners to protect data quality and ensure service commitments are met.
• Oversee compliance with local legal requirements, including wage tax, social security, and labour law, with strong coverage across Germany and the broader DACH region.
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, working with Finance and Accounting on reconciliations and audit preparedness.
• Spot opportunities to improve workflows, reduce manual work, increase accuracy, and strengthen payroll systems through automation and HRIS integration.
• Coach and support junior payroll specialists while helping build a culture of precision, openness, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Experience building and managing preparatory payroll operations across multiple entities and jurisdictions, ideally in a fast-scaling environment and in partnership with external payroll processors or tax advisers.
• Strong practical understanding of payroll compliance, tax obligations, and statutory rules, especially within Germany and the DACH region.
• Proven experience managing external payroll providers and ensuring accountability to agreed service standards.
• Fluent written and spoken communication in both German and English, with confidence engaging authorities, international stakeholders, and colleagues at all levels.
• A systems-oriented mindset that helps identify inefficiencies and implement practical improvements.
• A high level of accuracy and reliability that allows teams and leadership to trust payroll operations without hesitation.

Eligibility

This position is open to professionals who have hands-on experience with multi-entity payroll operations and who can work effectively with external payroll partners and tax advisers. Candidates should be comfortable operating in a regulated, fast-changing environment and collaborating across functions. Helsing encourages applications from people who may not match every listed qualification, including women and members of other under-represented groups.

Nice to have

• Practical experience with DATEV Personal Online and/or HRIS tools such as HiBob.
• A background in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field, whether gained through formal education or equivalent experience.
• Payroll or tax certifications that show ongoing professional development.

What Helsing offers

• Competitive compensation plus VSOP options.
• Relocation support of up to €2,500 and four weeks of temporary accommodation.
• A yearly learning allowance of €500/£450.
• Health and wellbeing support, including gym membership and access to Nilo.health for mental health support.
• Regular company events and monthly social allowances.
• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers and 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Family support benefits, including 5 days of paid emergency family leave, a 100% remote work option during pregnancy, and phased return to work.

Additional information

The benefits listed above are the core package across all locations, although some locations may offer additional perks.

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or gender identity.

Applicants should not include personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, health information, or sexual orientation data.

Helsing also maintains a Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime.