Payroll Manager (FTC)

£80,000 to £90,000

12 Month Fixed Term Contract

London | Hybrid Working

An established, high profile professional services business is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead its UK payroll function on a 12 month fixed term contract.

This is a senior position with responsibility for overseeing a complex, high volume payroll operation, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time, while maintaining robust controls, compliance and operational efficiency.

The Role:

Reporting to the Group Financial Controller, you will take full ownership of the end to end UK monthly payroll, leading a team of five payroll specialists and working closely with senior stakeholders across Finance, HR, Reward and IT.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing the end to end UK monthly payroll for over 3,000 employees across seven pay groups, ensuring accurate and timely processing.
• Leading monthly payroll reconciliations, validation checks, exception reporting and payment processes.
• Ensuring compliance with payroll legislation, tax regulations, pension requirements and internal policies.
• Managing payroll controls, governance, audit requirements and statutory reporting.
• Overseeing pension auto enrolment, statutory deductions, bonus payments and annual remuneration reviews.
• Acting as the business lead for payroll systems, including SAP and Workday, ensuring effective utilisation and compliant processes.
• Driving process improvement, automation and reporting enhancements to improve payroll accuracy and efficiency.
• Managing relationships with external providers, software vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Leading, developing and supporting the payroll team, ensuring deadlines and service standards are consistently met.

About You:

You will have significant experience managing end to end payroll within a medium to large corporate environment, ideally within a complex, multi stakeholder organisation.

You will also demonstrate:

• Strong practical experience with SAP Payroll and Workday, or equivalent enterprise payroll and HR systems.
• A thorough understanding of UK payroll legislation, taxation, pensions, benefits and compliance.
• Experience leading payroll transformation, system implementation or process improvement initiatives.
• Proven ability to manage and develop a payroll team.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and communicate effectively at senior level.
• Excellent analytical skills, with a strong focus on accuracy, controls and continuous improvement.
• A current CIPP qualification or equivalent professional payroll qualification.

What's on Offer:

• Salary of £80,000 to £90,000.
• 12 month fixed term contract.
• Senior payroll leadership role within a large, established business.
• Opportunity to lead a sizeable payroll operation and drive process and systems improvements.
• Hybrid working, with dynamic working arrangements available.