Payroll Manager - UK/IRE

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation5, PlayStation4, PlayStationVR, PlayStationPlus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more. PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity.

Role overview: The Payroll Manager is a role designed to provide leading payroll management for Sony Interactive Entertainment. This role and team are positioned within the People Experience team in HR. The Payroll Manager is responsible for day-to-day payroll vendor partnership(s), overseeing the preparation and processing of payroll for all employees, ensuring accuracy and compliance with internal policies and legal regulations. This role will focus on the UK and Ireland. This position is responsible for training and development of the Payroll team and will lead in a collaborative manner, within and outside Payroll Services, to drive an environment of exceptional customer service. This individual can produce, analyse, and articulate process and technology improvements to the Payroll Director and is expected to maintain up-to-date awareness of current trends in HR and Payroll.

What you’ll be doing:

• Ownership for delivery of BAU Payroll, with two direct reports.
• Develop relationships across the SIE organisation and collaborate with HR PX, Benefits, Compensation, PTS & Mobility teams.
• Responsible for maintaining ongoing connections through weekly interactions and meetings to ensure timely and accurate results.
• Management and delivery of monthly payrolls, alongside annual payroll calendars and tasks (e.g. P11d(b), GPGR, ERS returns).
• Provide exceptional experience, resulting in high customer satisfaction.
• Liaise between outsource provider and functional staff to bring issues to resolution within provided service level agreements.
• Oversee training and communications with customers and system users on new processes and functionality.
• Solicit customer feedback from across teams downstream and upstream to understand potential areas of vendor services improvement.
• Works collaboratively to optimise services by aligning systems with the expectations of the customer’s needs.
• Implement findings and recommendations to further enhance the Payroll function.
• Analyse any concerns and develop action plans for correction.

Payroll Services Governance:

• Day-to-day liaison with the outsourced payroll service providers to ensure delivery of the payroll processes and results (UK, Ireland and Modified payroll).
• Manage responsive, accurate, and timely resolution for common payroll vendor services inquiries.
• Review additional services payments against contractual obligations and find opportunities for reducing occurrences.
• Undertake and input into payroll governance infrastructure comprised of policies, controls and other risk management tools.
• Directly accountable to ensure that Payroll service meets all applicable service level agreements.
• Responsible to ensure the Standard Operating Procedures manual is kept up to date with current payroll service provider model practices and procedures.
• Oversee the processing of international assignees shadow payrolls and audit pay to ensure results agree with recommendations from mobility services.

Project Management Initiatives:

• Ensure contract agreements are being fulfilled/leveraged and audit relevant metrics.
• Provide project management support for given initiatives in HR and Payroll special projects.
• Proactively participate in meetings with key partners to set end-to-end pay processes expectations and drive agreeable outcomes.
• Produce performance scorecard and coordinate service improvement initiatives.
• Report project progress to management.
• Ability to identify data trends and Payroll and Time technology architecture and articulate recommendations with IT, HRIS, Operations and outsource services on SIE’s ongoing payroll requirements.
• Ability to drive system automations to eliminate manual processes.
• Manage and troubleshoot the administration of payroll platform integrations.

What we’re looking for:

• Demonstrable track record of leading Payroll within a large, complex, international organisation.
• 10+ years (or equivalent) of experience in managing an outsourced payroll provider and liaison with vendors.
• Background in multi-tier support structure and dealing with external outsource support model.
• Possess a deep understanding and experience of UK payroll (e.g. statutory payments, pension/auto-enrolment, manual calculations) and tax law.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Possess strong written, verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Apply sound judgement and discretion with sensitive information.
• Ability to manage change requests and the defining of new service provider requirements with input from multiple teams and collaborators.
• Passion for providing exceptional quality service and striving for exceeding clients' expectations.
• Proactive anticipations of issues and developing collaborative relationships with upstream and downstream functions.
• Issue resolution, solution oriented, and accountability.
• Solid understanding of general HR processes and data, including eligibility and procedures, to provide expected correct downstream pay result outcomes.
• Analytical skills with ability to produce and effectively articulate recommendations to leadership.
• General understanding of HR and Payroll system databases, functions and processes, specifically cross-functional touchpoints.
• Outstanding leadership quality, project management skills and business commercial awareness.
• Proficiency in payroll software and Microsoft Office Suite.

Discretionary bonus opportunity, Private Medical Insurance, 25 days holiday per year, On Site Gym, Free soft drinks, Access to cycle garage and showers.

Equal Opportunity Statement: Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category. We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity.