Payroll Manager (SAP SuccessFactors) in Dartford

Immediately available, full time role based in UK Location: Homebased with occasional travel.

Reports To: Head of EMS

Salary range: £45,500 to £53,000

About the business:

Employee Managed Services (EMS) is a subsidiary of Groupelephant.com - a global technology company. EMS has operated for over 25 years in HRM outsourcing, whilst our parent company, EPI-USE, has a 30+ year history of implementing more than 1,000 HRM-based solutions around the world. Together we support over 1,000,000 employees globally.

The Role:

Due to growth, an exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly skilled and experienced Payroll Manager to join the Employee Managed Service (EMS) team at EPI-USE. As a Payroll Manager in the EMS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Payroll team, you will be responsible for overseeing and managing the payroll operations of our organisation’s clients. Your role encompasses payroll processing, business continuity planning, and staff management. You will be responsible for ensuring the accurate and compliant delivery of payroll services to clients while managing a team of payroll professionals. Your expertise in UK payroll regulations, attention to detail, and strong analytical skills will be essential to ensure accurate and compliant payroll processing. Knowledge of other European payrolls is desirable.

You will be expected to maintain confidentiality at all times, comply with data protection (GDPR) legislation, carry out any reasonable duties as requested by line management and act as the key contact for your payroll clients, ensuring continuous improvement in the process.

If you are a detail-oriented professional with a solid understanding of payroll processes and regulations, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Payroll Management: Oversee the end-to-end payroll process for clients, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with UK payroll regulations. Address and resolve complex payroll-related enquiries, discrepancies, or errors efficiently. Escalation point for BAU processing issues. Managing the transition of new clients to BPO, which includes conducting knowledge transfer, user acceptance testing (UAT), comparison or parallel runs, and successfully transitioning to the Go Live phase. Develop and improve EMS training materials and lead end user training.
• Business Continuity Planning (BCP): Develop and maintain BCP for BPO and/or technology only clients, as requested, ensuring continuity of service in case of disruptions, disasters, or emergencies. Regularly test and update BCP protocols to mitigate risks and maintain service quality.
• Client Relationship Management: Act as the primary point of contact for clients, addressing Payroll-related enquiries and providing legislative payroll advice. Manage client expectations to ensure confidence, continuity of service, and timely resolution of issues. Build and maintain strong working relationships with clients. Partner closely with the Application Management Service (AMS) team to assist clients with payroll related queries, system upgrades and regression testing. Provide client-side payroll support during transitions. Support clients through payroll system upgrades and change initiatives, ensuring minimal disruption to payroll. Assist clients during testing cycles to validate payroll accuracy following system changes or upgrades.
• Staff Management: Lead and supervise a team of payroll professionals, providing guidance, coaching, and performance management. Coordinate workload distribution, set objectives, and monitor team productivity.
• Compliance and Reporting: Stay informed about UK payroll legislation, tax regulations, and statutory requirements. Ensure clients' payroll practices align with legal standards and oversee the preparation of accurate payroll reports. Assisting the Payroll Quality Risk Compliance Manager with information needed for ISO certification.
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvement within the BPO payroll operation, enhancing efficiency and service quality. Collaborate with Lead payroll manager and payroll specialists to streamline processes.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Hold a Payroll related qualification e.g., CIPP and/or proven experience in payroll management (at least 5 yrs), including managing employees (BPO experience would be desirable).
• Experience processing payroll using SAP Payroll and or Success factors (ECP).
• In-depth knowledge of UK payroll legislation, tax regulations, and Pension auto enrolment legislation (EMEA payroll desirable).
• Experience in developing and implementing Business Continuity Plans (BCP) for payroll operations.
• Strong leadership, organisational, and communication skills, and the ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Ability to manage and motivate a team of payroll professionals effectively.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple demands with a clear sense of prioritisation.
• Proficiency in payroll software and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.