Senior Payroll & Compensation Specialist

At Swissquote, we’re all in.
All in to shake things up. All in to build the bank people actually want to use. All in to make finance less boring — and a lot more powerful.

We’re Switzerland’s leading digital bank — 1,400+ people across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, building real financial solutions for over a million clients worldwide. From trading and investing to everyday banking, we cover the full picture. We move fast, but we build things we’re genuinely proud of. Have a look behind the scenes by checking  Humans of Swissquote on Instagram.

Growing fast creates room. Room to try things, own things, and grow at a pace most places can’t offer. Whether you like the spotlight or prefer to just put your head down and do great work, there’s space for both here.

We’ve ditched the dress code — but never the chance to celebrate. Big win or small, we make it count. The kind of place where the atmosphere takes care of itself.

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to join our team and contribute to our shared success.

Feeling it? It’s a good start. Apply.

Job Description

We are looking for a Senior Payroll & Compensation Specialist to own and manage our end-to-end payroll operations while contributing to the development of a robust compensation & benefits. This role combines operational excellence in payroll with a strategic mindset to improve processes and drive automation.

Key Responsibilities :

Payroll Management

• Manage the full monthly payroll cycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness.
• Process payroll inputs, including variable elements, absences, and employee changes.
• Perform payroll controls and reconciliations.
• Handle payroll-related accounting entries, including monthly and annual closings in collaboration with finance.
• Ensure compliance with local labor laws, tax regulations, and social security requirements.
• Act as the main point of contact for payroll-related queries.
• Ensure supervision and validation of payroll processes with the abroad entities in collaboration with local HR partners and payroll providers.
• Ensure proper documentation and audit trail for all payroll activities.

Process Improvement & Automation

• Identify opportunities to improve payroll and HR processes.
• Drive automation initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce manual work.
• Document and standardize payroll and compensation processes.
• Collaborate with HRIS teams to optimize systems and workflows.

Compensation & Benefits

• Manage and calculate ad hoc compensation elements (bonuses, incentives, equity/participation plans, etc.).
• Contribute to salary benchmarking and market analysis.
• Help design and maintain salary grids and compensation structures.
• Partner with Talent Management on compensation reviews and cycles.

Budget & Reporting

• Monitor payroll and compensation budgets in collaboration with Finance.
• Prepare regular reports and dashboards (headcount, payroll costs, compensation analysis).
• Provide insights and recommendations to support decision-making.

Qualifications

Experience & Skills

• 5+ years of experience in payroll, ideally in an international or fast-paced environment.
• Strong knowledge of payroll processes, accounting principles, and compliance.
• Strong knowledge of Swiss payroll and Swiss labor laws & regulations.
• Experience with payroll systems and HRIS.
• Solid analytical skills with strong attention to detail.
• Exposure to Compensation & Benefits topics (benchmarking, salary structures, bonus schemes) is a strong plus.

Soft Skills

• High level of accuracy and reliability.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and external providers.
• Proactive mindset with a continuous improvement approach.
• Strong communication skills and ability to explain complex topics clearly.

Additional Information

SQ2