Payroll Lead - London (Hybrid)
Salary: £100,000- £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
Location: London, hybrid
About the role
We're a fast-growing London consumer business with a loyal customer base and a team that cares about getting things right. As we scale, payroll needs to scale with us. We're looking for a Payroll Lead to take ownership of the function and build it into something robust, efficient and ready for the next stage of growth.
This is a hands-on leadership role. You'll run payroll day to day, then shape the processes, systems and team around it. You'll start as the expert in the room and, over time, hire and develop a team beneath you.
What you'll do
Own end-to-end payroll for a growing, multi-site workforce, ensuring accurate and timely delivery every cycle
Manage the full range of statutory and operational payroll: PAYE, NI, pensions, benefits, expenses, starters and leavers, statutory pay, and year-end reporting
Build and lead a payroll team, setting out the structure, making the first hires and coaching the team as it grows
Review and improve payroll systems, controls and processes, including automation and integration with HR and finance systems
Make sure the business stays compliant with HMRC and wider employment legislation, and manage audits
Partner with Finance, HR and the wider business on headcount reporting, forecasting, month-end journals and reconciliations
Act as the point of escalation for payroll queries and build a service colleagues trust
Manage relationships with external providers, pension administrators and advisers
What we're looking for
Substantial UK payroll experience, ideally in a consumer, retail, hospitality or similarly high-volume, varied-workforce environment
Experience managing payroll end to end, with demonstrable leadership experience or a clear readiness to step into it
Strong technical knowledge of UK payroll legislation, including auto-enrolment, statutory payments and RTI
Experience implementing or optimising payroll systems (e.g. ADP, Iris, Sage, Ceridian/Dayforce or similar)
Comfort with data and reconciliations, and a sharp eye for detail
A practical, improvement-minded approach and the...
Payroll Lead employer: Cedar Careers
As a leading PE-backed services group based in Leeds, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic work culture that encourages innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through tailored development programmes and opportunities to lead transformative finance initiatives, making us an excellent employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in finance.
