THE OPPORTUNITY 

This is a pivotal role for a people professional who thrives on precision, breadth, and genuine ownership. You will serve as the Group’s payroll authority — directly owning UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, US and Japan — and as a trusted specialist across the full Payroll, Benefits and Rewards spectrum.  

The role sits at the intersection of payroll accuracy, people-data integrity, and operational excellence. You will drive the consolidated payroll landscape, shape reporting for senior leadership, and take end-to-end ownership of HR initiatives that span systems, compliance, and people experience. If you are energised by complex, multi-country environments and want a seat at the table — not just a place in the queue — this role is built for you. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

UK and International— End-to-End Ownership 

• Own and deliver accurate, compliant, on-time monthly payrolls for the US, EU, UK, and Japan; serve as the single accountable point for every stage of the payroll cycle. 

• Govern payroll inputs with robust approval and audit-trail discipline; maintain complete records covering statutory payments, pension deductions, Benefits in Kind, and all variable pay elements. 

• Drive proactive query resolution: investigate root causes, close discrepancies, and build controls that prevent recurrence rather than simply fix symptoms. 

• Produce comprehensive reconciliation and sign-off packs in line with internal controls, including variance analysis, spot-checks, and approval workflows. 

• Manage query resolution across providers and internal stakeholders with pace and clarity, protecting employees’ pay experience regardless of geography. 

Payroll Reporting, Analytics & Insight 

• Design and deliver regular and ad-hoc payroll and people-cost reporting for HR and Finance: payroll summaries, variance reports, headcount and FTE movements, and starters/leavers analysis. 

Compliance, Risk & Audit Controls 

• Maintain expert-level awareness of payroll legislation across all relevant jurisdictions; lead timely implementation of legislative changes in partnership with providers and stakeholders. 

• Build and sustain a strong controls environment: documented procedures, comprehensive audit trails, periodic reconciliations, and proactive escalation of emerging risks. 

• Act as the primary operational contact for internal and external audits — producing evidence packs, managing timelines, and closing findings with rigour. 

Policies, Processes & Documentation 

• Own the lifecycle of payroll policies: creation, version control, continuous improvement, and alignment with evolving business needs. 

• Build out documentation for new systems and processes during the Rippling migration and beyond; extend ownership to adjacent HR operations areas (benefits, wellbeing) as the function matures. 

Onboarding, Offboarding & Employment Changes 

• Ensure every payroll-impacting lifecycle event — new starts, leavers, role changes — is executed accurately and on time: final pay, holiday calculations, approvals, and GDPR-compliant record management. 

• Support the induction process for payroll and benefits access, providing a seamless employee experience from day one. 

Flexible Workforce & Contractor Payments 

• Zero-hours employees: Track assignment schedules and approvals in line with governance; calculate, maintain, and communicate holiday accruals with transparency and accuracy. 

• Seed contractors: Own the monthly payment cycle, liaise on queries, and ensure all contractor payments comply with agreed controls, approvals, and documentation standards. 

Benefits & Wellbeing Administration 

• Lead the operational delivery of wellbeing and benefits platforms: employee access, utilisation, and issue resolution. 

• Support benefits reviews and broker liaison; drive implementation of agreed enhancements and own communications coordination in partnership with HR and Comms.. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Essential 

• Proven end-to-end ownership payroll, including cut-off management, reconciliations, approvals, and statutory obligations. 

• Experienced in coordinating payroll inputs and outputs across multiple stakeholder groups (HR, Finance, operational leadership) with precision and professionalism. 

• Demonstrably strong payroll controls mindset: data integrity, audit-trail discipline, and documentation rigour are second nature. 

• Confident analytical capability — strong Excel (pivot tables, lookups, data validation) — with the ability to produce clear, narrative-led reports for senior audiences. 

• Sound understanding of GDPR and confidentiality requirements in the context of sensitive personal and payroll data. 

• Exceptional organisational skills: able to manage competing deadlines across multiple payroll cycles and operational workstreams without dropping the ball. 

Desirable (Strongly Preferred) 

• Experience coordinating multi-country payroll through Employer of Record arrangements 

• Hands-on experience with Rippling, Deel, or a comparable HRIS/payroll platform — ideally through a migration or implementation. 

• Track record of supporting payroll audits and/or leading governance and controls improvement programmes. 

• Familiarity with payroll journals, cost-centre mapping, and Finance month-end integration. 

WHAT GREAT LOOKS LIKE 

We are looking for someone who brings more than technical skill. The right person will demonstrate: