Payroll Specialist Lead - UAE

Position Overview

Remote is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Payroll Specialist Lead to join our global team. This role will focus on payroll operations in the United Arab Emirates, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. You will be responsible for end-to-end payroll processing, managing stakeholder relationships, driving process improvements, and mentoring other payroll specialists in a fast-paced, international environment.

About Remote

Remote is dedicated to simplifying global employment compliance for modern organizations. We enable businesses of all sizes to recruit, pay, and manage international teams seamlessly. Our core values and future-focused work culture empower our globally distributed team to tackle ambitious problems asynchronously. Remoters work from six continents, and all our positions are fully remote. We encourage diversity of talent, experience, and culture to build a best-in-class HR platform. If you are energetic, curious, motivated, and ambitious, join us and define the future of work!

What this job can offer you

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of payroll operations in the UAE, contribute to process optimization, and mentor junior team members within a dynamic, international setting.

Requirements

• In-house payroll management or equivalent experience leading the full end-to-end processing of UAE payroll.
• Hands-on experience with DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre), MOL (Ministry of Labour), or WPS (Wages Protection System) workflows.
• Knowledge of payroll best practices.
• Proficient in using software tools like SAP, Excel / Google Sheets.
• An analytical mindset with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to adapt to a fast-paced, international work environment with a passion for making an impact.
• A productivity-oriented approach with a drive for continuous improvement and efficiency.
• Understanding of and ability to work largely asynchronously.
• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Previous remote work experience is a plus.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a subject matter expert for UAE payroll.
• Manage relationships with key stakeholders in Payroll Implementation, Finance, Product, and Engineering.
• Process full end-to-end payroll, including statutory filing, exceptions, approvals, payments, and compliance.
• Ensure payroll operations are fully compliant with DMCC, MOL, or WPS requirements, including reporting and processing standards.
• Maintain full data integrity and quality.
• Perform accounting and reconciliations.
• Focus on meeting KPIs and SLAs.
• Implement and improve payroll processes.
• Mentor and support payroll specialists.
• Provide backup support to regional managers during absences.

Practicals

• Reporting to: Manager, Global Payroll Operations
• Team: Payroll
• Location: EMEA
• Start Date: As soon as possible

Compensation

• Salary Range: $33,300 to $74,850 USD (base salary for this full-time position)
• Remote Compensation Philosophy: Remote's Total Rewards philosophy ensures fair, unbiased compensation and competitive benefits across all operating locations. We pay above in-location rates to support global talent and bring local wealth to developing countries. Salary bands are wide due to international operations and geo ranges used to maintain market competitiveness. Actual pay is determined by role, level, and location.

Application Instructions

Apply now to define the future of work!