Payroll Partner

A highly regarded and growing professional services business is seeking an experienced Payroll Partner to join its leadership team. This is a senior appointment with a clear longer-term purpose. The successful individual will take significant responsibility for the leadership and development of the payroll function, working closely alongside the existing Partner and providing the strength, capability and succession planning needed for the future.

Initially, the role will combine hands-on operational leadership with strategic and commercial involvement. Over time, the expectation is that you will develop the knowledge, relationships and leadership capability to step in for the Partner when required and potentially assume greater responsibility for the function as part of the business growth plan. With a genuine commitment to work-life balance, the business operates a four-day working week, creating an unusual opportunity to combine a senior leadership career with flexibility.

The Role

Working closely with the existing Partner and wider senior leadership team, you will help lead the payroll function through its next stage of development. You will provide senior operational oversight, act as a key escalation point and help ensure the function has the leadership capacity, processes and people required to support continued growth. Importantly, this is not simply an operational Payroll Manager position. The opportunity is designed for someone capable of becoming a trusted deputy to the Partner, gradually increasing their strategic, commercial and leadership responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Work closely alongside the existing Partner in the leadership and development of the payroll function.
  • Develop the capability and knowledge to provide effective cover for the Partner and step into their responsibilities when required.
  • Take increasing ownership of strategic and operational responsibilities as the role develops.
  • Become a trusted senior figure for the payroll team, clients and wider business.
• Operational Leadership
  • Provide senior operational oversight across the payroll function.
  • Manage complex client queries and escalations, ensuring issues are resolved effectively and within agreed timescales.
  • Monitor workloads, capacity and performance across the team.
  • Identify operational risks and bottlenecks and implement appropriate solutions.
  • Drive efficiencies and process improvements to support a scalable payroll operation.
  • Maintain strong standards of accuracy, compliance and client service.
• Strategic & Commercial Development
  • Work alongside the Partner on strategic priorities for the payroll function.
  • Contribute to the continued development and growth of the payroll offering.
  • Support commercial projects and opportunities where appropriate.
  • Help identify opportunities to improve systems, processes, service delivery and profitability.
  • Contribute to departmental planning and longer-term decision-making.
  • Develop a broader understanding of the commercial performance of the payroll function.
• Client Relationship Management
  • Build strong relationships with key payroll clients.
  • Act as a senior point of contact for complex or strategically important relationships.
  • Ensure consistently high standards of client service and satisfaction.
  • Support managers and team members with challenging client situations.
  • Over time, develop the relationships and credibility required to represent the payroll function at Partner level.
• Team Development
  • Provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to managers and the wider payroll team.
  • Support performance management and employee development.
  • Identify future leaders and contribute to succession planning throughout the department.
  • Develop greater accountability and ownership across the management structure.
  • Help create a collaborative, commercially aware and high-performing culture.

About You

You will already be an accomplished payroll leader and be ready for a role offering greater influence, responsibility and longer-term progression. You may currently be operating as a Senior Payroll Manager, Payroll Operations Manager, Head of Payroll or similar, and feel ready to move towards Partner-level responsibility. You do not necessarily need to have held a Partner title previously. More important is your ability and ambition to develop into a position where you can operate at that level.

• Significant experience in a senior payroll leadership or management position.
• Strong technical and operational payroll knowledge.
• Proven experience leading and developing payroll teams.
• Ability to manage complex operational environments and senior client escalations.
• Strong understanding of process improvement, capacity management and operational efficiency.
• Confidence working with senior stakeholders and contributing to wider business decisions.
• Strong client relationship and communication skills.
• Commercial awareness and an interest in the broader development of a payroll business.
• The leadership maturity to act as a credible deputy to an existing Partner.
• Ambition to take on greater responsibility as part of a longer-term succession plan.
• Experience within an accountancy practice, payroll bureau or professional services environment.
• Experience contributing to strategic or commercial projects.
• Knowledge of payroll systems and relevant legislation.
• CIPP qualification or equivalent professional accreditation.
• Previous exposure to departmental budgeting, commercial performance or business development.

What's on Offer?

• Salary up to £70,000 depending on experience.
• Four-day working week.
• Hybrid working arrangements.
• A genuine Partner-level leadership opportunity.
• The opportunity to work closely alongside and learn from the existing Partner.
• A role specifically designed to provide greater leadership capacity and longer-term succession.
• The opportunity to step in for the Partner and progressively assume greater responsibility.
• Significant influence over the future development of the payroll function.
• A supportive, collaborative and ambitious culture.