Senior HR Specialist

In this diverse position, you are responsible for the operational payroll process and core HR administration activities. You ensure accurate and compliant payroll processing, coordinate social insurance and pension fund matters, and guarantee compliance with Swiss labor, tax, and social security regulations.

You work closely with external payroll providers, insurance companies, Finance, and internal stakeholders to ensure smooth and efficient HR operations.

Your Responsibilities

Payroll & Compensation

• Collect and validate monthly payroll data from relevant departments
• Review variable compensation elements (hourly wages, bonuses, one-time payments)
• Maintain and update employee master data
• Prepare and transmit payroll input to the external payroll provider
• Review and approve payroll results in collaboration with Finance
• Act as primary contact for payroll provider, pension fund, and insurance partners
• Coordinate annual payroll closing activities (salary certificates, social insurance statements)
• Perform quarterly vacation and absence balance evaluations

Social Insurance & Benefits

• Coordinate employee registrations and deregistrations with social insurance providers
• Manage family, paternity, disability, accident, and sickness daily allowance cases
• Liaise with insurance companies regarding claims and inquiries

Pension Fund Administration

• Coordinate new hires, terminations, and changes with the pension fund
• Record changes in salary, work percentage, and personal data

Work Permits & Immigration

• Coordinate work permits for third-country nationals with external providers
• Manage permit renewals and cross-border commuter cases

Finance & Audits

• Support year-end reconciliations and payroll audit requirements
• Prepare documentation for internal and external audits
• Assist with social insurance and tax audits
• Manage HR-related purchase orders and approvals
• Prepare monthly HR reporting
• Monitor home office arrangements for cross-border employees
• Ensure compliance with tax and social security regulations

HR Administration & Employee Lifecycle

• Support administrative onboarding and offboarding processes
• Prepare employment contracts, confirmations, and reference letters (German, English, French)
• Maintain and archive personnel files
• Update and validate data monthly in Workday and Abacus
• Contribute to Workday process improvements
• Ensure HR information on the intranet is up to date

Your Profile

Education

• HR Specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education (or equivalent qualification, e.g., Payroll CAS Expert)

Experience

• 5–6 years of experience in HR and payroll, including Swiss social security
• 5–6 years of hands-on experience with Abacus and Workday
• Experience in payroll transition projects and shared services environments
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry (Commercial or R&D) is an advantage

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of Swiss labor, tax, and social security regulations
• Good command of English and French
• High level of accuracy, discretion, and service orientation
• Structured, independent, and detail-oriented working style