Senior Payroll Manager

Senior Payroll & Compliance Manager – High Wycombe, office-based 2-3 days per weekMint Velvet began when founders Liz Houghton and Lisa Agar-Rea set out to create an unfailingly chic collection of contemporary, great quality staples and elevated fits that they felt were missing from their wardrobes. Feeling frustrated that they couldn’t find anything they wanted to wear, or the great customer service they craved, they started fusing relaxed comfort with glamorous yet wearable fashion trends. Relaxed Glamour was born.As collaborative creatives, we take untold pride in our work, designing with heart and soul. We want to be a force for good and are committed to becoming a more circular and responsible business, from the fabrics we choose to our considered processes. We are an agile and growing business, and we work hard to create an environment which allows for growth and progression, balanced with the support and flexibility needed to meet the challenge of a high-performance culture.Our leadership teams and founders sit amongst the teams and encourage a culture of balance and passion. MV is a very special place, and our values are anchored by three main pillars: people, planet, and community.Payroll is one of the quiet heroes of our business functions. As Senior Payroll & Compliance Manager, you will lead and shape the payroll and compliance function, ensuring the accurate and compliant delivery of monthly payroll, pensions and reward processes across the business. You will play a key strategic role in driving process improvements, leading payroll-related projects and proactively advising leadership on risk and regulatory change. Managing key supplier relationships and collaborating closely with Finance, People Team and Legal, you will combine operational excellence with a strategic, forward-looking approach to payroll, reward and compliance governance.Our Values:With Soul. Courage & Resilience. Passion & Drive. Entrepreneurial Spirit. Collaborative.The Role:Lead in the delivery of an accurate, efficient, and compliant payroll service for all UK and ROI employees alongside the Payroll and Compliance Manager. This includes overseeing payroll operations managed by the Payroll & Compliance Manager, pensions, compliance, and statutory reporting, while also driving forward key payroll-related projectsWork with Financial Controller to support with the payroll accounting process, including journal and reconciliationsStep in to manage the monthly payroll processing across all payrolls; hourly, salaried & Republic of Ireland (c. 800 employees in total) should the Payroll & Compliance Manager not be available due to holiday etcOversee checks for the payroll calculations to ensure there is an accurate output from our third party payroll provider e.g. AHP, NMW, maternity etcManage the strategic partnership with our external payroll provider, to ensure high service standards are maintained and SLAs are metTrack any issues over a period of time to spot any processing trends which require further problem solving and correction or trainingEnsure full compliance with HMRC regulations including PAYE, NI, BIK reporting, PSA, NMWOversee pension provision including the auto-enrolment process – work alongside the pension provider to provide up to date, accurate pension education and communicationWork with pension consultant to review pension offering to ensure we are providing the most cost-efficient and customer centric scheme for our employeesLead with in the design and delivery of new reward initiatives e.g. salary sacrifice schemes, recognition schemesLead on audit preparations with the Payroll & Compliance Manager, and be part of the team to answer queries for both internal and external audit teamsYou Lead on system audits within the Finance/People Team to ensure that information is as accurate as it can be at all times and develop new/review existing payroll policiesDrive process improvements across payroll, pensions and reward to ensure operational excellence and a positive employee experience e.g. change of external payroll provider, HRIS system opportunities and improvementsLead payroll and reward elements of strategic projects such as system migrations or upgrades, reward changes or payroll structure changesDevelop clear, employee friendly communications around pay, benefits and pensionsRemain up-to-date on all relevant legislation, suggesting changes to processes where appropriateTo join our fast-growing business:You are commercially savvy and understand the dynamics of a fast-moving retail environment and the impact payroll accuracy and compliance have on business performance and employee trustYou are technically excellent and have deep technical expertise in UK/ROI payroll, pensions, statutory payments, and National Minimum Wage (NMW) legislation. You stay ahead of legislative changes and enjoy translating complex information into clear, actionable stepsYou have a high attention to detail and take pride in ensuring processes are accurate, compliant, and audit-readyYou are proactive and solutions-focused and are not just reactive to issues — you anticipate risks, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement practical solutionsYou are project capable and have experience managing or contributing to payroll-related projects (e.g., system upgrades, changes in pension providers, business integrations) and can juggle operational delivery with project workYou care deeply about the employee experience, ensuring that processes are not only compliant but also simple, transparent, and supportive for our teams across stores and head officeYou are collaborative and approachable, able to build strong working relationships with stakeholders across People, Finance, senior stakeholders, external providers and our employeesYou are discreet and trustworthy – handling sensitive personal information requires high levels of discretion and professionalism, qualities that come naturally to youYou thrive in a brand-led, customer-focused environment and ideally bring experience from a retail businessYou are comfortable working across payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and Excel — with an appetite to drive efficiencies through technology where possibleYou are resilient, adaptable and can effectively navigate through both anticipated and unexpected changesYou\’ll be rewarded with:Competitive starting salary and great career prospects in a fast paced and growing business25 days holiday plus bank holidays and a day off on your birthdayCompany-funded private health insurance and access to Smart HealthLife assuranceDiscretionary bonus scheme50% staff discountInterest-free Season ticket loanSummer hours – 3pm finishes every Friday throughout June, July & AugustBespoke induction support and ongoing development to help you thrive in your new roleA welcoming and inspiring work-environment – take advantage of Yoga classes, social activities, an early finish on pay day and more