Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage payroll for a diverse workforce across 200+ sites and ensure compliance with regulations.
- Company: Growing business in Berkshire with a supportive work environment.
- Benefits: Salary of £40,000 - £50,000, collaborative culture, and opportunities for process improvements.
- Why this job: Lead payroll management and system migrations while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: 5+ years of payroll experience and strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation.
- Other info: Commutable from London; excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Job Description
Payroll & HR Manager
Salary circa £40,000 – £50,000
Berkshire
Overview
Compass Associates are recruiting a Payroll Manager to join a growing business in Berkshire. Following an imminent acquisition, the successful candidate will manage payroll for a diverse workforce across 200+ sites, including salaried, hourly, permanent, temporary, and part-time staff.
The Candidate
The Payroll Manager will take ownership of end-to-end payroll, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with HMRC regulations, pensions, and statutory obligations. They will work closely with finance to reconcile payroll, provide accurate reporting, and act as the first point of contact for payroll queries. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, process-driven, and able to build strong relationships across the business. They will also play a key role in the transition from Sage to PeopleSoft and ShiftSense payroll systems.
Essential Criteria
- 5+ years’ experience managing payroll in the UK
- Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, pensions, and compliance
- Experience managing payroll for a large, diverse workforce across multiple sites
- Excellent organisational skills, accuracy, and ability to maintain confidentiality
- Strong communication skills and ability to work with employees and managers at all levels
- Payroll qualification (CIPP) desirable but not essential
- Willingness to work a minimum of 3 days on site
Salary and Benefits
The salary is circa £40,000 – £50,000, dependent on experience, and benefits include:
- End-to-end responsibility for a large, multi-site payroll
- Opportunity to lead system migrations and process improvements
- Supportive work environment with close collaboration between finance and operational teams
- Commutable from London and surrounding areas
Location:
This position is based in Berkshire, commutable from Reading, Guildford, Watford, High Wycombe.
Interview Process:
Stage 1: Teams interview
Stage 2: On-site interview
Contact Details:
To apply or for further information, contact Andy at Compass Associates on 0161 527 9632 or email amunyimi@compassltd.co.uk
Recommendations:
Compass Associates Ltd acts as a Recruitment Consultancy for this permanent vacancy; we offer £200 in John Lewis vouchers or £200 charity donation for each successful recommendation.
Compass Associates, established in 2009, is an award-winning UK specialist Health and Social Care Recruitment Consultancy providing tailored, high-quality recruitment solutions for permanent roles.
Payroll Manager employer: Compass Associates
Contact Detail:
Compass Associates Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Payroll Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the payroll and HR field. You never know who might have a lead on that perfect Payroll Manager role or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Brush up on your knowledge of payroll legislation and compliance. Be ready to discuss your experience managing diverse workforces and how you’ve tackled challenges in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills! Create a portfolio or a presentation that highlights your achievements in payroll management, especially any system migrations or process improvements you've led. This will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we’re always looking for talented individuals like you to join our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Payroll Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Payroll Manager role. Highlight your experience managing payroll for diverse workforces and any relevant qualifications. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!
Showcase Your Experience: In your application, emphasise your 5+ years of payroll management experience in the UK. Detail your knowledge of payroll legislation and compliance, as this is crucial for the role. We love seeing specific examples!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the important bits!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Compass Associates
✨Know Your Payroll Legislation
Brush up on UK payroll legislation, pensions, and compliance before your interview. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you’re not just familiar with the basics but also understand the nuances of managing payroll for a diverse workforce.
✨Demonstrate Your Organisational Skills
Prepare examples that showcase your organisational skills and attention to detail. Think about times when you successfully managed payroll across multiple sites or handled complex payroll queries. This will help illustrate your ability to maintain accuracy and confidentiality.
✨Build Rapport with Interviewers
Since strong communication is key in this role, practice building rapport during your interview. Engage with your interviewers by asking insightful questions about their payroll processes and how they collaborate with finance. This shows you’re genuinely interested in the role and the company.
✨Be Ready for System Migration Discussions
Given the transition from Sage to PeopleSoft and ShiftSense, be prepared to discuss your experience with payroll systems. If you’ve been involved in system migrations or process improvements, share those experiences to demonstrate your capability to lead such changes effectively.
