Payroll Specialist

Who we are

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.  

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.  

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers.  We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.  

The role

Payroll at Helsing is not a back-office function — it is a foundation of trust. As a Payroll Specialist, you will prepare and deliver  accurate , compliant payroll data across our international entities, with a particular focus on the DACH region. Payroll is processed in partnership with an external service provider; your role is to ensure that everything upstream of that process is precise,  complete  and delivered on time. Working closely with HR and Finance, you will contribute to a payroll infrastructure that scales as we grow. The work is detailed,  consequential  and sits at the intersection of people,  finance  and operations.  

The day-to-day

Prepare and consolidate payroll data across multiple entities and regions, ensuring all inputs delivered to our external service provider are accurate, complete and submitted on time  

Support the resolution of payroll queries, escalating complex matters where appropriate and communicating outcomes clearly to affected colleagues  

Work with external payroll and service providers to maintain data integrity and uphold agreed service standards  

Monitor and maintain compliance with local statutory obligations — including wage tax, social security and labour law — with a particular focus on Germany and the wider DACH region  

Contribute to month-end, quarter-end and year-end close processes, collaborating with Finance and Accounting on reconciliations and audit readiness  

Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort, increase accuracy and strengthen payroll processes through better use of existing tools and HRIS integrations

You should apply if you

Have worked in a payroll operations role, handling multi-entity or multi-jurisdiction payroll — ideally including experience working alongside external payroll processors or service providers  

Have solid working knowledge of payroll compliance and statutory requirements in Germany, including wage tax, social security and relevant labour law  

Communicate fluently in both German and English — written and spoken — and are comfortable engaging with colleagues, service providers and local authorities  

Bring the attention to detail and consistency that means colleagues can trust payroll data to be accurate and on time  

Have worked with HRIS or payroll platforms and are comfortable learning new systems quickly  

Are motivated by Helsing's mission to protect democratic societies, and ready to engage with the responsibility that comes with it  

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.  

Nice to Have

Hands-on experience with DATEV Personal Online, HiBob, ISGUS or Zeus  

A background in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources or a related discipline — through formal study or equivalent practical experience  

Evidence of continued professional development in payroll and compensation, such as relevant further training or qualifications   …