Payroll Manager in Bury

Working Hours: 40 Hours

Reporting to: Head of Payroll – UK & IRL

Location: Bury Office

Department: People

Direct Reports: 2

Company overview:

Established in 1981 with a single store in the North West of England, the JD Group is a leading global omnichannel retailer of Sports Fashion and Outdoor brands. The Group now has over 3,000 stores across 38 territories with a strong presence in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. In addition, we operate over 200 JD Gyms throughout the UK.

Role overview:

As Payroll Manager, you will lead a high-performing payroll function responsible for delivering a seamless, accurate, and timely service to over 25,000 colleagues across the JD Group. Working alongside three other Payroll Managers and closely with the Team Leaders, you will ensure operational excellence, drive continuous improvement, and support strategic business initiatives. This is a pivotal leadership role where you’ll partner with the People Leadership Team to align payroll operations with broader business goals. You’ll focus on empowering and enabling the management team to develop their people, ensuring the function is not only compliant and efficient, but also future-focused and colleague-centric.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Payroll team, ensuring accurate and timely processing of 22 payrolls (GBR, IRL, Offshore) across a diverse retail workforce including salaried, hourly paid and variable-hours colleagues.
• Own the quality and accuracy of payroll outputs across allocated business areas, acting as the final sign-off authority.
• Ensure all statutory payroll obligations and reporting requirements are completed accurately and within prescribed deadlines.
• Ensure a robust payroll governance and control framework is maintained, managing risks proactively and ensuring compliance with all statutory, financial and internal control requirements.
• Empower and support Team Leaders to lead, coach, and develop their teams effectively.
• Collaborate with the People Leadership team to support the successful implementation of strategic business initiatives, ensuring payroll operations are aligned and enabling.
• Drive the ongoing evolution of payroll services, identifying opportunities to simplify processes, enhance colleague experience and leverage technology to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Monitor and analyse payroll queries, implementing proactive solutions to reduce volume and improve resolution times, whilst facilitating a customer centric approach.
• Act as a key escalation point for complex queries and customer feedback, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
• Align team KPIs with strategic business goals, using data insights to inform coaching and development plans.
• Provide accurate payroll reporting to internal departments and external bodies, ensuring data integrity and compliance.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across the wider People function, Finance and operational business areas, ensuring payroll considerations are appropriately represented and understood.

Skills and Experience:

• CIPP qualified or equivalent professional experience.
• Extensive experience managing complex, high-volume payrolls with strong end-to-end knowledge.
• Proven track record in delivering high-quality customer service.
• Deep understanding of payroll legislation and compliance, including Auto Enrolment, RTI, PAYE, and Apprenticeship Levy.
• Experience of processing Irish payrolls would be advantageous.
• Strong analytical skills with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.
• Proven experience in leading and developing managers or team leaders within a complex operational environment.
• Ability to communicate complex payroll issues clearly and effectively to a range of audiences.
• Good communication skills with the ability to guide and influence with the confidence to challenge current practices appropriately.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Experience using Dayforce payroll software would be advantageous.
• Flexible to work outside of standard office hours if required to support a 24/7 operation.

What can we offer you?

The JD Group is a large, fast moving, exciting workplace. As part of the team we will offer you full training with our in house expertise on processing a variety of payrolls to deliver a first class service. We take pride in what we do and who we do it with. The JD Group champions talent and there are opportunities to hone and develop your skills and progress within your role and within the business. We offer study support and opportunities to undertake funded training that leaves you with recognised payroll qualifications. We also offer in house training to support your development of skills in areas like leadership and public speaking. As a business, we put people at the centre. Through the JD foundation, colleagues can take part in charity volunteering opportunities. The business supports your wellbeing through our departmental wellbeing champions, and health and wellbeing events and initiatives. Our employee forum also gives you a voice to tell us what’s important to you and how we can support you. JD values diversity and inclusion and champions a culture where everyone feels valued, included and celebrated.