Head of Payroll

Posted Mar 11, 2026

Montblanc in Hamburg is hiring a Head of Payroll to lead payroll operations, compliance and reporting for the German entity.

Overview

Montblanc is a luxury Maison renowned for its exceptional writing instruments, leather goods and timepieces. Operated within a global luxury-group structure, Montblanc combines artisanal craftsmanship with an international retail and corporate footprint, offering a corporate environment that values heritage, product excellence and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Role & Responsibilities

Lead and develop the payroll function for Germany, managing an internal team and external payroll service providers to ensure accurate, timely end-to-end payroll delivery.
Own payroll governance: ensure full compliance with German payroll legislation, tax and social security requirements, statutory filings and year-end processes.
Oversee month‑end payroll close, reconciliations and reporting to Finance and HR, delivering clean audit trails and management information.
Act as primary liaison between HR, Finance, Legal and external advisers on payroll matters, including expatriate payrolls, benefits integration and payroll-related audits.
Drive continuous improvement and automation of payroll processes and controls, including system enhancements, testing and rollout of payroll-related projects.
Manage employee escalations and complex payroll queries with confidentiality and a customer‑focused approach.

Qualifications

Proven leadership of payroll operations within Germany or a comparable legal jurisdiction.
Comprehensive knowledge of German payroll legislation, social security, wage tax and statutory reporting obligations.
Demonstrable experience managing payroll service providers and cross‑functional stakeholder relationships (HR, Finance, Legal).
Strong analytical aptitude with experience in payroll reconciliations, month‑end processes and management reporting.
High standards of confidentiality and working knowledge of data protection requirements applicable to payroll.

Skills

Payroll governance and compliance (Germany) End-to-end payroll processing and month‑end reconciliation Payroll reporting and audit readiness Stakeholder management across HR and Finance Process improvement and payroll automation Project management for payroll system changes Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, reconciliation techniques)

Experience

Typically requires 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including at least 2 years in a leadership or head‑of function role managing teams and external providers in a multinational context.

Education

Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources or equivalent professional qualification.

Culture

Montblanc cultivates a culture where craftsmanship and design excellence meet international luxury trade. The workplace emphasizes collaboration between creative, commercial and operational teams, offering a fast‑paced, quality‑driven environment with opportunities to contribute to cross‑border projects and continuous professional development.