Opkey - Manager - Payroll

Description:
About the job
Who We Are
At Opkey, we help global enterprises unlock the full value of their ERP investments through agentic AI-powered automation. As we scale rapidly across markets, precision, compliance, and operational excellence are non-negotiableespecially when it comes to how we pay our people.
Were looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to own end-to-end payroll operations for our growing India workforce. This role sits at the intersection of Finance, HR, and Compliance and plays a critical role in enabling scale with confidence.
What Youll Do
Youll be the definitive owner of payroll execution, compliance, and optimizationensuring our employees are paid accurately, on time, and in full compliance with Indian statutory requirements.
Payroll Operations & Compliance
- Own and process monthly payroll for 500+ salaried and contract employees using Relyon, Tally, and advanced Excel.
- Manage end-to-end salary calculations including earnings, deductions, reimbursements, bonuses, and full & final settlements.

- Ensure 100% statutory compliance across EPF, ESI, Gratuity, TDS, Professional Tax, and GST (where applicable).
- File statutory returns (PF/ECR, TDS quarterly returns, PT) accurately and on time; liaise with government authorities and banking partners as needed.
- Support year-end activities including Form 16 issuance and payroll inputs for financial reporting under Ind AS / GAAP-aligned standards.
Financial Controls & Reporting
- Reconcile payroll with the general ledger and produce audit-ready payroll reports.
- Partner with Finance to support internal and external audits with clean documentation and controls.
- Analyze payroll data and metrics (e.g., cost per employee, payroll variance trends) to support budgeting and forecasting.
Process Excellence & Scale
- Drive continuous improvement of payroll processes with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
- Build and enhance automation using advanced Excel formulas, macros, PivotTables, and VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP.
- Identify and mitigate payroll risks, including compliance gaps and penalty exposure.
Stakeholder Partnership
- Act as the escalation point for payroll-related employee queries with a high bar for responsiveness and accuracy.
- Collaborate closely with HR on onboarding, exits, promotions, policy changes, and compensation updates.
- Communicate clearly with internal stakeholders and leadership on payroll timelines, changes, and compliance matters.
What Youll Bring
- Master's/Bachelors degree in Commerce, Finance, or Accounting (CA or equivalent certification preferred).
- 8+ years of hands-on payroll experience in India, ideally within a high-growth or mid-to-large organization.
- Deep, working knowledge of Indian payroll laws and statutory frameworks (EPF, ESI, PT, Gratuity, TDS, GST).
- Strong proficiency in Tally ERP, Relyon, and advanced Excel.
- Experience handling multi-state Professional Tax requirements.
- Strong attention to detail with a control-minded, audit-ready approach.
- Clear, confident communicator who can work effectively across Finance, HR, and leadership teams.
Why This Role Matters
Payroll isnt just transactional at Opkeyits foundational. This role ensures trust, compliance, and operational rigor as we scale, and directly supports our ability to grow responsibly while taking care of our people.