People & Payroll Partner

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 energized 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 control 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

• Ownership Mindset – Takes accountability for outcomes, not just tasks. Closes loops, flags issues early, and never leaves things in ‘no‑man’s land.
• Analytical Rigour – Understands payroll as both a control function and a business‑critical people process. Reads data critically and spots what others miss.
• Stakeholder Confidence – Communicates with clarity and credibility across Finance, HR, and operational leadership. Escalates appropriately and influences without authority.
• Continuous Improvement Drive – Identifies root causes, documents solutions, and systematically eliminates recurring issues rather than applying quick fixes.
• Composure Under Pressure – Delivers consistently and calmly through cut‑offs, month‑end, and competing priorities — the person others rely on when pace is high.
• Generalist Reach – Comfortable stepping beyond the payroll lane when the business needs it. Brings the same rigour and professionalism to projects, systems, and people operations.