HEAD OF PAYROLL

Purpose

This role ensures seamless payroll operations across Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, delivering accurate and timely compensation while maintaining full legal compliance. It also serves as the governance anchor for payroll as a centre of expertise—driving continuous improvement and capability building, as well as setting the frame for international payroll standards, compliance, and vendor management outside SAS’s main locations 

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management – Oversee and secure accurate, timely payroll processing for all covered markets. 

Compliance – Ensure adherence to tax laws, labour regulations, and company policies. 

Reporting – Deliver payroll reports and analytics to senior management as required. 

Global Governance – Provide guidance and oversight to maintain payroll governance and policy standards in smaller international locations, including vendor selection and management. 

Team Leadership – Lead, develop, and inspire payroll teams across three countries and multiple sites, fostering accountability and excellence. 

Process Improvement – Enhance payroll systems, automation, and workflows for efficiency and accuracy. 

Change Leadership – Drive and support change initiatives, ensuring smooth adoption and engagement across different teams and locations. 

Employee Support – Address payroll-related queries with professionalism and speed. 

Project Leadership – Drive and contribute to payroll-related projects supporting SAS’s transformation journey. 

Experience and Education

Personal Profile 
You are a dedicated, motivated leader who thrives in a collaborative, multi-site environment. You embrace change, act as a role model, and contribute to SAS’s transformation journey within People & Culture, supporting employees with professionalism and care. 

 

Education 
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or Human Resources. 

 

Experience 

• Extensive payroll expertise, including 5+ years in leadership roles. 
• Experience working cross-border in Scandinavia 
• Proven background in payroll automation, vendor management, and governance in diverse markets. 
• Experience leading change initiatives and working hands-on in dynamic environments. 
• Skilled in collaborating with teams across multiple sites and locations. 

 

Key Competencies 

• Proficiency in payroll systems (e.g., ADP, QuickBooks, Sage) 
• Strong understanding of compliance, labour laws, and tax regulations 
• Exceptional attention to detail and data accuracy 
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving ability 
• Excellent communication and leadership skills 
• Strong time management and organisational abilities 
• Financial reporting and budgeting acumen 

Why join SAS?

At SAS, we offer extensive opportunities for professional development in an international, fast-paced working environment. We are dedicated to the continuous growth of our employees. Working with us comes with a variety of benefits, including:  

Travel Perks: Enjoy discounted travel opportunities around the world with SAS.  

Other of Importance

Deadline for application: 2025-09-07. Please send us your CV as soon as possible, as interviews are conducted continuously, and the position may be filled before the application deadline. Note that we are not able to handle any applications that are sent by email, due to GDPR regulations.  

Location: Position based in Copenhagen or Stockholm 

Desired start date: October 

Position: Fulltime (100%) starting with a 6-month probation period .  

To be eligible for this position you need an EU-work permit. Please note that we ask you to inform us if you currently have a valid EU-work permit.    

A background check will be conducted at the final stage of this recruitment process, as this role is security classified. If you, are aware of any specific matters that may come up during this background check, we kindly ask you to be transparent about them during the recruitment process.  

 

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SAS is Scandinavia's leading airline. For more than 75 years, we have been flying and connecting Scandinavia with the world and the world with Scandinavia. We have always been at the forefront of what is new and scouting the horizon. We have seen the world change, sometimes over a long period of time, and sometimes quite suddenly. Changes that have made us rethink, adapt and build new. We are moving towards a future where change and the need for new thinking is constant. A future of conscious thinking and sustainable innovation.