At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage payroll for 700 employees, ensuring accuracy and compliance with UK legislation.
- Company: Join Sanofi, a leader in simplifying people processes with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, health benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team committed to inclusivity and career development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on employee experience while driving continuous improvement in payroll.
- Qualifications: Experience in UK payroll and strong analytical skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Responsibilities
- Manage end-to-end UK payroll operations for approximately 700 employees across 2 entities with monthly cycles, ensuring 99.5% accuracy, on-time processing, and full compliance with UK legislation, GDPR, and company policies.
- Oversee the outsourced payroll provider relationship (Strada), preparing and reviewing payroll data, monitoring KPIs, validating calculations, and escalating operational issues to ensure seamless delivery.
- Process compensation and benefits including salary changes, bonuses, pension administration and reporting, benefit deductions, share scheme processing, and expatriate/immigrant payroll for international mobility.
- Deliver accurate and timely reporting to third-party administrators (pensions, share schemes), Finance, and business stakeholders, including ad-hoc reports and statutory returns.
- Provide Level 2 payroll support by responding to queries via ServiceNow within agreed SLAs, maintaining the Knowledge Database, and resolving issues in a professional and timely manner.
- Lead audit preparation and compliance activities, including payroll control checklists, control evidence documentation, sign-off processes, and responding to internal and external audit requests.
- Maintain payroll documentation and governance, ensuring all policies, SOPs, change requests, and control evidence are current and stored appropriately on SharePoint.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives, staying current with UK payroll legislation, monitoring and refining processes to meet statutory requirements while supporting corporate projects and the Global Core Model.
Qualifications
- Proven UK payroll expertise with a thorough understanding of payroll processes, UK legislation, and compliance requirements (GDPR); Ireland payroll knowledge is a plus.
- Relevant qualification and experience: Graduate/Masters degree in Finance, HR, or Business Administration, or CIPP qualification (or working towards it), with hands-on payroll experience ideally in an international, multicultural environment.
- Strong technical proficiency with payroll/HRIS systems (Workday experience advantageous) and advanced Excel skills to manage data, reporting, and analysis effectively.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities to address operational issues, interpret complex payroll data, and drive resolution in a timely and effective manner.
- Detail-oriented and precise with the ability to organize, prioritize, and structure tasks to meet tight deadlines while maintaining 99.5%+ accuracy standards.
- Collaborative team player who works effectively across teams (People Services, Finance, P&C, Legal) and with external providers, bringing an end-to-end mindset to service delivery.
- Professional communicator able to interact confidently with internal and external stakeholders, providing clear support and building strong working relationships.
- Action-oriented and change-ready, with a delivery-driven approach and enthusiasm for continuous improvement initiatives within the payroll function.
About the Role
As a Payroll Specialist within Sanofi Business Operations, People Services team, you will manage the complete payroll lifecycle for approximately 700 employees across two UK entities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and on-time processing while supporting our global mission to simplify and harmonize people processes. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams including Finance, P&C, and Legal, taking ownership of compensation and benefits processing, continuous improvement initiatives, and delivering exceptional support that directly impacts our employee experience.
Disability Confidence
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to offering interviews to candidates who request consideration under the Scheme and meet the minimum requirements for this role. If you have a disability and require adjustments for the interview process, please email us at diversity.recruitmentUKIE@sanofi.com. We are dedicated to ensuring an inclusive and supportive experience for all applicants.
Payroll Specialist employer: Sanofi-aventis Groupe
Sanofi is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and development within a collaborative and inclusive work culture. As a Payroll Specialist, you will benefit from a supportive environment that values continuous improvement and compliance, while also enjoying the advantages of working for a global leader in healthcare. With a commitment to diversity and a focus on employee experience, Sanofi offers meaningful opportunities for professional advancement in a dynamic setting.
