Payroll Specialist in Uxbridge

As our Payroll Specialist you will be responsible for:

• Payroll Governance & Delivery Support and oversee key stages of the monthly end-to-end UK payroll cycle, ensuring payroll data is accurate, complete, and compliant.
• Perform detailed payroll validations, reconciliations, and sense checks before and after payroll is run.
• Review payroll outputs from the third-party provider, identifying discrepancies and ensuring timely resolution.
• Manage off-cycle payments, corrections, and adjustments in line with approved controls.
• Support month-end and year-end payroll activities, including reconciliations and P60 processes.

Compliance & Statutory Obligations:

• Ensure full compliance with UK legislation, including PAYE, National Insurance, and RTI (FPS/EPS).
• Statutory payments (SSP, SMP, SAP, ShPP).
• Auto-enrolment pensions.
• National Minimum Wage.
• P45, P60, and P11D processes.
• Support responses to HMRC queries and statutory requests, ensuring accurate and timely information is provided.
• Manage payroll record-keeping in line with HMRC and GDPR requirements.

Controls, Risk & Assurance:

• Maintain a payroll issue log, ensuring root-cause analysis and trend reporting.
• Maintain accurate payroll records, schedules, and documentation in line with governance standards.
• Identify and mitigate payroll risks, including audit findings.
• Support internal and external audit activity, including preparation of evidence and documentation.
• Investigate payroll issues and errors, performing root cause analysis and supporting corrective actions.

Stakeholder Management:

• Act as a senior escalation point for complex payroll and pay-related employee queries.
• Work closely with HR Operations, Finance, and the third-party payroll provider to ensure data accuracy and timely processing.
• Provide clear, professional communication to employees, maintaining confidentiality and discretion.
• Support senior stakeholders with payroll data, insights, and reporting.
• Support consistent ways of working across the payroll team.

Continuous Improvement & Systems:

• Identify opportunities to improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, and resilience.
• Support payroll system upgrades, implementations, or provider changes.
• Maintain up-to-date payroll procedures and user guides.
• Ensure payroll master data integrity and validation controls.
• Share best practice and technical knowledge within the payroll team.

Essential Skills and Expertise:

• Extensive experience in UK end-to-end payroll within a corporate or shared services environment.
• Strong practical knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements, including PAYE, National Insurance, RTI submissions, statutory payments, and auto-enrolment pension regulations.
• Experience working with third-party payroll providers (e.g. ADP) and operating robust payroll controls in regulated environments.
• Proven ability to manage payroll reconciliations, investigations, and resolve complex payroll and compliance issues.
• Advanced Excel skills to support payroll validation, reconciliation, and reporting.
• High attention to detail with strong analytical and organisational skills, and a confident communicator able to handle complex payroll queries.

Desirable:

• Experience managing or overseeing outsourced payroll providers.
• Experience working in a controlled environment (e.g. audit, SOX-style controls).
• Payroll qualification (e.g. CIPP Foundation or Diploma).
• Experience supporting payroll systems implementations or upgrades.

Personal Attributes:

• High attention to detail with excellent analytical skills.
• Calm and decisive under time pressure (especially during payroll cut-off).
• Strong ownership and accountability mindset.
• Confident communicator with the ability to challenge constructively.
• High levels of discretion and integrity.
• Collaborative team player with a continuous improvement mindset.

Key Measures of Success:

• Payroll activities delivered accurately and on time each cycle.
• Strong controls and reconciliations evidenced and maintained.
• Payroll issues resolved efficiently with minimal reoccurrence.
• Positive working relationships with HR, Finance, and payroll providers.
• High-quality service delivered to employees and stakeholders.

Canon Core Behaviours:

• Drive for results.
• Focus on the Customer.
• Take ownership and accountability.
• Act as a team player.
• Shows courage and conviction.
• People orientated.
• Caring for self and others.