As the Associate Manager Payroll and Employee Benefits Finance, you will own and oversee global payroll, employee benefits, and equity-related payroll processes across the Group. You will ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll execution across multiple jurisdictions in a US-listed biotech environment and you will act as the primary Finance point of ownership for payroll and benefits, working closely with external payroll providers, HR, and senior stakeholders.

Key accountabilities:

• Global Payroll Management: Oversee end-to-end multi-country payroll (CH, PT, UK, US), manage external providers and payroll cycles, review/approve outputs and variances, handle executive/board payroll, and lead year-end tax/statutory reporting.
• Employee Benefits, Pensions & Retirement Plans: Oversee payroll-integrated benefits programs, coordinate with providers/brokers on deductions and contributions, partner with HR on enrolments and employee queries, and ensure accurate accruals, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Equity & Share-Based Compensation Payroll: Administer the stock compensation platform and equity award agreements, coordinate payroll and tax impacts (including withholdings and reporting) for equity events, and support stock-based compensation journal entries and disclosures.
• Finance Integration, Controls & Reporting: Ensure payroll/bonus/benefit costs post correctly to the general ledger, own payroll accruals and reconciliations through month-end close, maintain SOX-aligned controls, and serve as SME for audits.
• HR Business Partnership & Workforce Planning: Partner with HR on payroll/comp/benefits, support workforce planning and budgeting/forecasting for headcount and compensation, collaborate on employee changes and one-time payments, and drive process improvements across HR-Finance workflows.

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field.
• Relevant professional certifications in payroll, accounting, or tax are a plus.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in payroll, payroll finance, or employee benefits roles.
• Hands-on experience managing multi-country payroll across Europe and the United States.
• Experience in a public company or SOX-controlled environment preferred.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers and vendors.

Skills/knowledge/behavioural competencies:

• Strong knowledge of payroll and benefits accounting and internal controls.
• Understanding of equity compensation payroll and related tax implications.
• Highly detail-oriented with strong accountability mindset.

Work Location:

• 2 days a week in our brand new Porto Office.

An exciting job opportunity awaits you!

MoonLake is a dynamic and innovative company pushing the boundaries of possibility, and we are looking for passionate individuals to join our stellar team.

What we offer:

Learning Environment: An opportunity to learn and grow alongside experienced professionals in a supportive and innovative biotech environment.

Impactful Work: Contribute to groundbreaking projects that have the potential to transform global healthcare.

Flexibility and Balance: Work remotely/hybrid, enjoying a healthy work-life balance while making meaningful contributions to our team.

Career Growth: A clear path for career progression, with the chance to take on more responsibilities as you develop your skills.


Our Core Values

We look for potential MoonLakers that embody our three core values that drive our pursuit of excellence: 

We do Stellar Science: We aspire to create novel therapies that elevate treatment horizons, with innovative science, and high quality, always.

We go beyond: We aspire to be positively disruptive in our field, and bold in the way we challenge the norms and each other.

We unlock value: We aspire to create long-term value for investors and communities.