Global Payroll Lead - Multi-Country Compliance & Ops in Harwell

Aim high, go beyond! At Open Cosmos we are solving the world’s biggest challenges from space, providing businesses, governments and researchers access to more readily available information than ever before - ready for the challenge? Then read on…

Working in our People Team, the People Team is at the heart of life at Open Cosmos. Covering HR, Talent Acquisition, and Office Management, the team attracts great people, supports them through every stage of their journey, and creates a workplace where everyone can thrive. Their work keeps Open Cosmos a great place to work and our teams engaged, supported, and focused on mission success.

We are now looking for a Senior Global Payroll Advisor, initially on a 6 month contract to take ownership of our end-to-end global payroll operations across multiple international entities.

What will you be doing?

• Own and manage end-to-end payroll operations across multiple countries, ensuring payroll is accurate, compliant, and delivered on time every cycle.
• Partner with external payroll providers and hold vendors accountable for service quality, SLAs, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with People and Finance teams to ensure payroll data, benefits, pensions, and employee changes are reflected accurately.
• Lead payroll compliance activities including audits, year-end filings, tax and social security requirements, and country‑specific reporting.
• Produce payroll reporting, reconciliations, accruals, and payroll‑to‑GL analysis, proactively identifying and resolving discrepancies.
• Improve and scale payroll processes, systems, controls, and ways of working as Open Cosmos continues to grow internationally.
• Act as the escalation point for payroll queries, providing clear and supportive guidance to employees across different regions.

What You’ll bring

• Strong understanding of multi-country payroll operations, ideally across the UK and Europe.
• In‑depth knowledge of payroll compliance, tax, social security, pensions, and benefits administration across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proficiency working with global payroll platforms such as ADP or similar systems.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, with the ability to manage payroll reconciliations, reporting, and payroll accounting accurately.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex payroll matters clearly and confidently to non‑specialists.
• A process improvement mindset, with the ability to identify opportunities to increase efficiency, scalability, and control within payroll operations.

For this role you can be based in any of our locations. To apply, you must have the legal right to work in your chosen location. Please submit your application and CV in English.

Why Open Cosmos?

• Work at the cutting edge of space technology with customers around the globe.
• A mission‑driven company making space accessible to help solve real‑world challenges.
• A diverse, ambitious, and supportive team.

Equal opportunity employer

At Open Cosmos, we are dedicated to fostering a workplace built on respect, dignity, and belonging. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively challenge bias to ensure every candidate and employee feels truly welcome. We celebrate diversity in all its forms and are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.