Head of Payroll in Leeds

About the Role

The role leads the Club's end-to-end payroll operation, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer and responsible for accurate, compliant, and confidential payroll delivery across the Club and Foundation. It manages payrolls covering more than 2,000 employees and workers across multiple entities, overseeing complex payroll processes, HMRC compliance, and high standards of governance and control. The position suits a payroll professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is confident managing arrangements involving football staff, casual workers, senior executives, and operational employees.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of monthly payrolls across multiple PAYE entities, ensuring accurate and deadline-compliant processing.
• Oversee payroll processing for permanent staff, football staff, management teams, casual workers, and Foundation employees, and supervise and support the Payroll Administrator.
• Manage complex football payroll arrangements, including performance bonuses, appearance payments, contract settlements, and other football-related remuneration structures, ensuring payments are correctly processed and compliant with relevant regulations.
• Ensure full compliance with HMRC regulations, PAYE requirements, National Insurance requirements, pension auto-enrolment legislation, and statutory payment regulations.
• Manage RTI submissions and associated reporting requirements, and administer statutory payments including SSP, SMP, SPP, and other statutory entitlements.
• Maintain robust payroll controls and procedures.
• Manage payroll year-end activities including P60 production, final FPS submissions, EPS notifications, and payroll reconciliations.
• Lead the preparation, calculation, and submission of P11D benefits and expenses, and manage Payroll Settlement Agreement (PSA) reporting and submissions.
• Work closely with Finance to support month-end reporting, payroll reconciliations, cost analysis, and audit requirements
• Partner with the People Team on starters, leavers, contractual changes, and payroll onboarding processes
• And support Football Administration with payroll-related matters when required.
• Maintain strict confidentiality across all payroll activities, manage highly sensitive remuneration information, ensure strong internal controls and risk management processes are in place, and handle employee queries professionally and confidentially.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Outstanding payroll knowledge and expertise.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of discretion and professionalism.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to lead payroll activities within a complex organisation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Significant experience managing a complex in-house payroll function.
• Experience overseeing multiple payrolls and PAYE entities.
• Experience processing payroll for large and diverse employee populations.
• Experience managing payroll compliance, reporting, and governance requirements.
• Experience preparing and submitting year-end payroll documentation.
• Experience managing payroll audits and reconciliations.
• Experience supervising or developing payroll team members.
• Knowledge of PAYE regulations.

Preferred Skills

• Experience within professional sport, football, entertainment, or similarly complex organisations.
• Experience processing football industry payrolls and remuneration arrangements.
• Experience supporting large workforce populations.
• Experience working alongside finance, HR, and operational teams in a fast-paced environment.

Salary

• Competitive salary package

Benefits & Perks

• Pension scheme
• Range of exciting benefits and perks

#J-18808-Ljbffr