Payroll Specialist (Portugal) - Oyster

About Oyster

Oyster is building a global employment platform that empowers companies to hire, pay, and care for brilliant people anywhere in the world. We believe talent is universal and are dedicated to closing the gap between companies and global talent. As a remote-first company distributed across 60+ countries, we've achieved significant recognition, including being ranked among TIME and Statista's America's Top WorkTech Companies and Newsweek's America's Greatest Startup Workplaces. We are also a G2 Leader across multiple categories and the only B Corp-certified global employment platform.

Role Summary

Oyster is seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our in-house payroll team in Portugal. This role offers significant ownership and the opportunity to contribute to best-in-class payroll standards at scale. You will be responsible for accurately processing Portuguese payroll cycles, adhering to Cegid (Primavera or PHC) and/or Sendys processes, and identifying any discrepancies.

Core Responsibilities

• End-to-End Payroll Execution: Own the complete native Portuguese payroll cycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness.
• Master Data Accuracy: Process and verify employee payroll master data, including new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, variable pay, benefits (meal vouchers, etc.), absences, and garnishments (penhoras de vencimento), following defined procedures and flagging any issues.
• Payroll Controls & Quality Assurance: Conduct pre- and post-payroll validations, meticulously checking your work and escalating any potential issues before they impact team members, customers, or Finance.
• Statutory Filings & Access Management: Manage monthly IRS withholding declarations, DMR (Declaração Mensal de Remunerações) filings to Segurança Social, and the annual Modelo 10 filing. Process reimbursement claims for sick pay and parental leave, and maintain employee IRS withholding codes. Support the setup and maintenance of required government accesses.
• Payroll System Procedures: Follow defined steps for maintaining the in-house payroll system, test legislative updates, and report any issues or suggestions to the team lead or Product team.
• Subject Matter Expertise Development: Learn and apply Portuguese tax, social security, labor, and collective bargaining agreement laws relevant to payroll. Seek clarification when needed.
• Financial Reconciliation: Verify payroll journals and GL mappings against payroll outputs, identifying and flagging data integrity issues.
• Ticket Management: Handle assigned client payroll tickets efficiently and escalate complex issues with clear context to senior team members, maintaining a customer-first approach.
• Reporting: Assist in preparing statutory and ad-hoc reports, including those for the EU Pay Transparency Directive, Comissão de Trabalhadores assessments, and RGPD/GDPR compliance.
• Audit Support: Provide structured data and documentation for internal and external audits.
• Team Collaboration: Adhere to SOPs, identify process gaps, share knowledge, and support colleagues to maintain and improve our knowledge base.

Minimum Requirements

• 1-3 years of experience running native (in-house) payroll processes for Portugal, capable of independently managing a defined volume of payslips monthly.
• Hands-on experience with Portuguese payroll software: Cegid (Primavera or PHC) and/or Sendys is essential.
• A recognized accounting/payroll qualification (e.g., Contabilista Certificado) or a dedicated payroll processing certification.
• Working knowledge of Portuguese wage tax, social insurance, and labor law, with a commitment to deepening expertise.
• Portuguese at C1/C2 level for local authority interactions and fluent English for global team collaboration.
• Ability to handle assigned client queries and escalate appropriately, balancing accuracy with a customer-first mindset.
• A meticulous, detail-oriented approach with thorough self-checking and proactive issue flagging.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity within your workstream and knowing when to escalate.
• A collaborative spirit, enjoying knowledge sharing and supporting less experienced colleagues.
• Proficiency in working asynchronously in a fast-paced, remote-first environment.

Desirable Skills

• Broader accounting background or qualification (e.g., Revisor Oficial de Contas), particularly beneficial for GL mapping and reconciliation.
• Proven experience in delivering cross-functional HR/Payroll projects.
• Experience using AI tools to optimize payroll or operational workflows.
• Strong data transformation skills and practical experience with data analytics platforms.

How We Work Together

Oyster's values—making it happen, driving change, building trust, and moving as one—guide our work and culture. Our mission is to create a more equal world of work. We embrace asynchronous, collaborative work and share our practices openly in our Public HQ.

Your Experience at Oyster

Our "How YOU Work" program supports your holistic well-being:

• Work from Anywhere: Work from anywhere you're authorized to work, as long as your work is timely and your team is supported.
• Generous Paid Time Off: 40 days off annually (including holidays and vacation), or more as required locally.
• Mental Health Support: Access to Plumm, our mental well-being service.
• Wellbeing Allowance: Monthly allowance via ThanksBen for a wide range of wellness options.
• Flexible Parental Leave: Minimum three months paid leave for all new parents, with job protection up to 12 months or as locally required.
• WFH Stipend: For your laptop and home office equipment.

Oyster is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. If you require accommodations during the application process, please email jobs@oysterhr.com with the subject line: Interview Accommodations. We will never ask for money as part of the hiring process. Report suspicious communications to our Compliance and Ethics Helpline.