Senior 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 we're dedicated to closing the gap between companies and the global workforce. As a remote-first company with employees in over 60 countries, we've proven that a high-performing culture thrives without a physical office.

Oyster has been recognized for its impact and culture, including rankings by TIME, Newsweek, and G2. We are also proud to be a B Corp-certified global employment platform since 2023.

Location: This role requires you to be based in Portugal and have the legal right to work there.

Role Summary

Join Oyster at an exciting time as we expand our presence in Portugal. This role offers significant ownership and the opportunity to shape best-in-class payroll standards at scale. As our lead in-house payroll expert, you will be responsible for end-to-end Portuguese payroll, building scalable workflows in Cegid (Primavera or PHC) and/or Sendys, and setting the benchmark for payroll operations.

Core Responsibilities

• End-to-End Payroll Execution: Own and manage the complete Portuguese payroll cycle accurately, compliantly, and on time.
• Master Data Management: Validate and process employee payroll master data, including new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, variable pay, benefits (meal vouchers, etc.), absences, and garnishments (penhoras de vencimento).
• Payroll Controls & Quality Assurance: Conduct rigorous pre- and post-payroll validations, investigate discrepancies, and implement corrective actions to ensure accuracy.
• Statutory Filings & Access Management: Manage all statutory filings, including monthly IRS withholding declarations, DMR (Declaração Mensal de Remunerações) to Segurança Social, annual Modelo 10 filings, and reimbursement claims for sick leave and parental leave. Oversee the retrieval and maintenance of employee IRS withholding codes and manage required government accesses.
• Payroll System Ownership: Configure, maintain, and test the in-house payroll system, including legislative updates. Troubleshoot issues and collaborate with the Product team to enhance automation and scalability.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Provide expert advice on Portuguese tax law (IRS), social security law, labor law, and collective bargaining agreements (CCT).
• Financial Oversight: Oversee payroll journals, GL mappings, reconciliations with Finance, and ensure full data integrity.
• Complex Escalation Handling: Serve as the primary point of contact for complex client payroll issues, leveraging technical expertise and a customer-first approach.
• Reporting: Prepare statutory and ad-hoc reports, including those required 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 Development: Improve processes, mentor junior specialists, and maintain comprehensive knowledge base documentation (playbooks, SOPs).

Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years of experience managing the complete native (in-house) payroll process for Portugal, with the ability to handle a high volume of payslips independently.
• Advanced, hands-on experience with Portuguese payroll software such as Cegid (Primavera or PHC) and/or Sendys is essential.
• A recognized accounting/payroll qualification (e.g., Contabilista Certificado) and/or a dedicated payroll processing certification.
• Deep, current working knowledge of Portuguese wage tax, social insurance, and labor law, with the confidence to advise stakeholders directly.
• Portuguese language proficiency at C1/C2 level for local authority interactions and fluent English for global team collaboration.
• Experience managing complex, sensitive client escalations with a balance of technical precision and a customer-first mindset.
• An analytical, productivity-obsessed mindset with a passion for building and optimizing processes from the ground up, with a strong focus on automation.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and driving cross-functional change.
• Experience coaching or mentoring less experienced colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, remote-first, and largely asynchronous environment.

Desirable Skills

• Broader accounting background or qualification (e.g., Revisor Oficial de Contas).
• Proven experience in delivering cross-functional HR/Payroll projects.
• Hands-on experience with AI tools for payroll or operations workflow optimization.
• Strong data transformation skills and practical experience with data analytics platforms.

How we work together at Oyster

Our values guide our work, decisions, and culture. We are driven by progress, change, trust, and teamwork. Our mission is to create a more equal world of work by enabling companies to hire, pay, and care for talent anywhere. We embrace asynchronous, collaborative work and share our operational practices openly.

How YOU work

Oyster supports your whole human experience through programs like:

• Work from anywhere: Work from anywhere you are authorized to work, as long as your work is timely and your team is supported.
• Paid time off: 40 days off per year (including holidays and vacation), or more if required by local law.
• Mental health support: Access to Plumm, our mental well-being service.
• Wellbeing allowance: Monthly allowance via ThanksBen wallet.
• Flexible parental leave: At least three months' paid leave for new parents.
• WFH stipend: For laptop and home office equipment.

Oyster is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. If you require reasonable accommodations during the application process, please contact jobs@oysterhr.com. Please be aware that Oyster will only contact you from an @oysterhr.com email address and will never ask for money as part of the hiring process.