Senior Operations Manager- Compliance Services

Job Title: Senior Operations Manager Compliance Services

Department: Payroll & Compliance

Location: Chennai

Reporting To: Business Head Payroll & Compliance

Experience: 15+ years (20+ years preferred)

Role Summary

The Senior Operations Manager Compliance Services will lead large-scale, multi-location compliance operations within the Payroll & Compliance business. This role is responsible for ensuring end-to-end statutory compliance delivery for clients, driving operational excellence, managing distributed teams, and strengthening client relationships.

The incumbent will play a critical role in scaling compliance services, ensuring accuracy, mitigating risks, and aligning service delivery with evolving regulatory frameworks and client expectations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Compliance Service Delivery

• Lead end-to-end delivery of statutory compliance services (PF, ESI, PT, LWF, Bonus, Gratuity, CLRA, Shops & Establishment, etc.)
• Ensure 100% adherence to statutory timelines and accuracy in filings
• Manage high-volume client portfolios across industries

2. Multi-Location Team Management

• Lead and manage compliance teams across multiple locations (Chennai and other hubs)
• Drive productivity, accountability, and performance across distributed teams
• Build second-line leadership and ensure strong succession planning

3. Payroll & Compliance Integration

• Ensure seamless coordination between payroll processing and compliance deliverables
• Oversee validation of compliance data within payroll cycles
• Drive error reduction and process standardization across accounts

4. Client Management & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a senior escalation point for key clients
• Build and maintain strong relationships with enterprise clients
• Participate in business reviews, client presentations, and solutioning discussions
• Ensure high client satisfaction and retention

5. Compliance Governance & Risk Management

• Establish strong compliance governance frameworks and SOPs
• Proactively identify risks and ensure timely mitigation
• Handle inspections, notices, and audits from statutory authorities

6. Process Excellence & Automation

• Drive process improvements, standardization, and automation initiatives
• Work closely with technology teams for system enhancements
• Implement dashboards and MIS for real-time tracking of compliance

7. Regulatory Updates & Advisory

• Stay updated on changes in labor laws and statutory requirements
• Translate regulatory changes into operational processes
• Provide advisory support to clients and internal stakeholders

8. Audit & Quality Control

• Conduct internal audits and ensure adherence to compliance standards
• Ensure zero non-compliance and strong audit outcomes
• Drive continuous quality improvement initiatives

9. Business Growth Support

• Support business development teams in proposals and solution design
• Contribute to expanding compliance service offerings
• Identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities within existing clients

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong expertise in Indian labor laws and statutory compliance
• Deep understanding of payroll-compliance integration
• Proven experience in managing large, multi-location teams
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder management skills
• High attention to detail and risk management mindset
• Process-driven with focus on automation and efficiency
• Leadership presence with ability to influence senior stakeholders

Qualifications

• Bachelor s degree in Commerce, Law, HR, or related field
• Master s degree / MBA / LLB / Professional certifications (preferred)

Experience Profile

• 15+ years of experience in payroll and compliance operations
• 5+ years in a leadership role managing large teams
• Experience in payroll/compliance service organizations (preferred consulting/shared services/BPO)
• Exposure to handling enterprise clients and multi-state compliance

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Compliance accuracy & on-time filing (%)
• Number of compliance deviations / penalties
• Client satisfaction & retention rates
• Team productivity and utilization
• Audit outcomes and closure timelines
• Process automation & efficiency improvements

What We re Looking For

A seasoned compliance leader who can balance operations, people, and clients, bring structure to scale, and act as a trusted partner to both clients and business leadership.