You will operate as a senior payroll subject‑matter expert within a large HR & Payroll shared service environment, with direct accountability for payroll integrity during change
Processing and overseeing end‑to‑end payroll activity in a high‑volume environment, including starters, leavers, contractual changes, allowances, overtime, absences, deductions, retros and corrections
Applying expert knowledge of UK payroll legislation (PAYE, NI, statutory payments, pensions, salary sacrifice, tax treatment of expenses and benefits, overpayment recovery) to ensure payroll outputs are fully compliant
Acting as a technical escalation point for complex payroll cases, legislative interpretation issues and high‑risk pay scenarios, owning issues through to resolution
Supporting payroll cut‑off activity, pre‑payroll validation, post‑payroll reconciliation and variance analysis, ensuring discrepancies are identified and resolved before payment
Supporting and safeguarding payroll during large‑scale transitions to new platforms, including hands‑on involvement in multiple payroll parallel runs
Validating and reconciling complex pay calculations across legacy systems, investigating variances and ensuring alignment of results
Identifying, analysing and resolving data integrity issues impacting payroll calculations, statutory deductions and net pay outcomes
Ensuring payroll accuracy, compliance and employee confidence are maintained throughout cutover, go‑live and early‑life support
Contributing to the creation and evolution of the HR & Payroll Service Blueprint and High‑Level Operating Model, ensuring payroll processing realities and legislative requirements are fully embedded
Supporting workshops with HR, Payroll, client and third‑party SMEs to ensure service designs are operationally viable, compliant and scalable
Ensuring service designs align to ERP (e.g. Oracle Fusion) capabilities, minimising unnecessary bespoke configuration and protecting payroll control frameworks
Creating and maintaining payroll‑focused SOPs, process maps, workflows and control documentation that accurately reflect live payroll operations
Developing and executing payroll test scenarios and scripts, supporting system testing, payroll parallel runs and service validation
Supporting detailed service transition planning, including multiple dress rehearsals ahead of go‑live, ensuring payroll risks are anticipated and mitigated
Supporting hypercare activity post‑transition, owning payroll‑related issues and stabilising services in early operational life
Leading deep‑dive analysis into payroll errors, failure demand and control weaknesses, implementing practical, sustainable improvements
Acting as a hands‑on senior operator, providing guidance, coaching and quality assurance for Analysts and junior colleagues.
Upholding high standards of accuracy, compliance and professionalism across all payroll‑related outputs.
Requirements
Strong hands‑on experience processing payroll end‑to‑end in a large, high‑volume HR & Payroll shared service or outsourced environment
Expert knowledge of UK payroll legislation, with the confidence to interpret and apply rules correctly in complex scenarios
Proven experience with: Payroll run activity and cut‑off management
Pre‑ and post‑payroll controls
Retrospective adjustments
Payroll error resolution and overpayment handling
Experience supporting large‑scale payroll transitions to new platforms, including parallel running, complex calculation validation and data reconciliation
Experience working in environments where HR and Payroll are tightly integrated and pay‑impacting changes flow directly into payroll
Experience supporting major systems transitions or service transformations (e.g. legacy to Oracle)
Background in public sector or highly regulated environments (e.g. Civil Service, NHS, large local authorities) or similarly complex organisations
Ability to confidently create and maintain: Payroll‑focused SOPs
End‑to‑end payroll process maps and workflows
Payroll test scripts and validation scenarios
Strong analytical capability, particularly in payroll variance analysis, root‑cause investigation and data integrity issues
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven, payroll‑critical environment, especially around cut‑off and pay dates
Exceptional attention to detail, with a proven track record of delivering accurate payroll outcomes under pressure
Strong communication skills, with confidence working across HR, Payroll, Finance and programme teams
Proactive, solutions‑driven approach, with the ability to support and mentor junior colleagues.
Tech Stack
ERP
Oracle
Benefits
23 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave
The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
Auto-enrolment to our company pension
Life assurance
A cycle2work scheme
15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave
Paternity pay of two weeks
Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform