Payroll Senior Specialist- APAC

About this role

Who are we?

Equinix is the world's digital infrastructure company®, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet.

A place where bold ideas are welcomed, human connection is valued, and everyone has the opportunity to shape their future.

A career at Equinix means being at the center of shaping what comes next and amplifying customer value through innovation and impact. You'll work across teams, influence key decisions, and help shape the path forward. You'll find belonging, purpose, and a team that welcomes you-because when you feel valued, you're empowered to do your best work.

Job Summary

This position is part of the APAC Regional Payroll organization and supports payroll delivery across assigned APAC countries or regions. The Payroll Senior Specialist applies strong payroll expertise, owns complex payroll activities, and acts as a subject matter expert for country-specific payroll processes, controls, and statutory requirements.

The role applies working knowledge of complex payroll components, including retros, corrections, large adjustments, stock impacts, GL outputs, and time and attendance inputs. The Senior Specialist supports audit readiness, statutory engagements, vendor coordination, issue resolution, process documentation, and payroll-related project delivery within assigned scope.

Success in this role requires strong technical payroll knowledge, good judgment, clear ownership, and the ability to balance payroll operations, compliance, documentation, stakeholder support, and continuous improvement in a dynamic multi-country environment.

The role will also provide day-to-day support for WorkForce Software (WFS) Timekeeping operations, ensuring accurate time and attendance records, timely validation, and support user experience. Responsible for monitoring workforce activities, resolving timekeeping issues, and supporting payroll sign-off activities.

Responsibilities

Time Keeping Operational activities

• Review and audit employee timesheets, schedules, overtime, and time-off transactions to ensure accuracy and policy compliance

• Support managers and employees with WFS timekeeping inquiries, troubleshooting, and issue resolution

• Validate timekeeping data and payroll-related reports to ensure accuracy and readiness for monthly payroll processing and sign-off

Payroll expertise and country ownership

• Act as a payroll subject matter expert for assigned countries or regions, providing advisory input on complex payroll, compliance, and system scenarios

• Apply treatment of complex pay components, including stock program impacts, GL outputs, and time and attendance inputs

• Interpret payroll legislation and initiate change discussions with managers on required process, system, or documentation updates

Payroll processing, controls, and audit support

• Understand and apply complex payroll processing, including retros, corrections, large adjustments, and stock-related payroll impacts

• Own assigned payroll activities within scope and ensure payroll outputs are accurate, timely, and supported by appropriate controls and evidence

• Lead audits and statutory engagements with minimal support, coordinating required payroll data, explanations, and remediation actions when needed

• Maintain strong compliance with SOX controls, internal audit expectations, confidentiality requirements, and data protection standards

• Support accurate payroll reporting, statutory remittances, payroll calendars, and recurring control activities for assigned countries

Vendor, stakeholder, and cross-functional support

• Manage day-to-day payroll vendor relationships and act as an escalation point for payroll and vendor queries within assigned scope

• Liaise independently with HR Services, Finance, Stock Services, payroll vendors, and other stakeholders, while keeping leads informed of decisions that affect operational work

• Participate in cross-functional initiatives requiring payroll expertise, including payroll, HR, Finance, systems, stock, and vendor-related activities

• Coach and support Payroll Services Administrators and Specialists on technical payroll matters, issue resolution, documentation, and process execution

Issue management and risk ownership

• Lead resolution of high-impact payroll issues and coordinate with People teams, Technology, vendors, and other stakeholders to address root causes

• Perform root cause analysis, identify preventive actions, and help implement sustainable fixes for recurring payroll issues

• Identify and flag risks that may result in future payroll issues, including operational, compliance, vendor, system, or employee-impact risks

• Analyze repeatable complex queries, document solutions, and update HR Hub, FAQs, or other knowledge content where applicable

Documentation and audit readiness

• Own the accuracy and completeness of Payroll Services SOPs, checklists, and documentation within assigned scope

• Ensure documentation is current, version-controlled, audit-ready, and updated for regulatory, vendor, system, and process changes

• Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date desktop procedures for assigned countries, processes, controls, and recurring activities

• Support version control and ensure payroll documentation is aligned with process maps, work instructions, and control requirements

Projects and continuous improvement

• Lead payroll projects affecting assigned countries, identifying and escalating risks or issues to management as required

• Lead team or cross-functional initiatives where payroll input, testing, data validation, parallel runs, documentation, or implementation support is required

• Anticipate project timeline risks, identify critical versus non-critical project scope, and support basic change management activities

• Lead Payroll Services improvement initiatives, implement improvements with limited guidance, and share best practices across the…