At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic payroll team and ensure accurate, compliant payroll processes.
- Company: A leading Higher Education institution in London with a focus on development.
- Benefits: Competitive hourly rate of £45 - £50, with opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a supportive environment with opportunities for continuous improvement and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a complex organisation while enhancing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in payroll management and a relevant qualification like CIPP Foundation Degree.
The predicted salary is between 50 - 50 £ per hour.
Role type: Interim
Duration: 6 months
Sector: Higher Education
Location: London
Hourly rate: £45 - £50 per hour
Our client, a leading Higher Education institution in the South East, is seeking an experienced Head of Payroll to lead a large and complex payroll function through a period of continued development and change. This is a senior payroll leadership role with responsibility for ensuring the accuracy, compliance, timeliness and continuous improvement of payroll across the organisation, including UK and overseas employees.
The Role
- Lead and develop a team of payroll specialists, ensuring a high-quality payroll service is delivered to employees while maintaining robust controls, processes and compliance standards.
- Provide strategic and operational leadership to the payroll production team.
- Oversee the full monthly payroll cycle, including validation and sign-off of gross-to-net payroll, statutory submissions, payroll costings, payments and year-end processes.
- Ensure payroll deductions, pension processes and auto-enrolment requirements are accurately managed.
- Maintain compliance with UK legislation and relevant overseas payroll requirements.
- Develop, document and continuously improve payroll procedures, controls and processes.
- Lead payroll exception reporting and investigate potential underpayments, overpayments and anomalies.
- Ensure accurate and timely reconciliation of payroll and third-party payments.
- Liaise with HMRC, pension providers, auditors and other statutory and external bodies.
- Support payroll-related reward schemes and work with external providers.
- Produce management information, KPIs, statutory returns and other payroll reporting.
- Lead payroll-related projects, process improvements and change initiatives.
- Work closely with internal and external audit teams and implement agreed recommendations.
- Ensure business continuity and disaster recovery arrangements are robust and regularly reviewed.
- Develop the payroll team through effective leadership, performance management, training and succession planning.
Essential experience
- Experienced payroll professional who has operated successfully within a large, complex organisation, ideally within Higher Education or another similarly structured environment.
- A CIPP Foundation Degree or equivalent payroll qualification.
- Strong experience managing a complex end-to-end payroll function.
- Proven experience of leading and developing payroll teams.
- Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, statutory requirements and compliance.
- Experience managing monthly payroll cycle closure, statutory reporting and payments.
- Experience designing, implementing and continuously improving payroll processes and procedures.
- Experience working with integrated HR and payroll systems.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
- The ability to interpret legislation and organisational policy and translate these into effective payroll processes.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience leading teams through organisational or process change.
- The confidence and composure to manage deadlines, complex issues and sensitive payroll.
Head of Payroll employer: Cedar Recruitment
Join a leading technology-based business that values innovation and collaboration, offering a dynamic work culture where your expertise in indirect tax will be highly regarded. With a focus on employee growth, you will have access to professional development opportunities and the chance to work with cutting-edge AI and automation tools. Located in a vibrant area, this role not only provides a competitive salary but also the chance to make a significant impact within a high-profile team known for its excellence.
