Payroll & Benefits Manager

Hybrid working in our London offices, 3 days a week (60% of the time office based). Salary ranging £50,000 - £60,000 per annum, plus company bonus scheme and some glamorous benefits. Supporting approximately 400 employees across the UK & Ireland, Retail and Office based employees, with 1 Coordinator to support your mission as line manager.

Operating in 120 countries with 42,000 employees and 70 nationalities, Shiseido offers a unique selection of Skincare, Makeup and Fragrance brands with a projected turnover over £7.0bn in 2022. Founded in 1872 in Japan, Shiseido Group is within the Top 5 leading cosmetics companies in the world and aims to inspire a life of beauty and culture.

Your next role: The Payroll & Benefits Manager is exceptionally placed to orchestrate and shape the overall compensation strategy of Shiseido UK & Ireland. Supporting a population of +400 employees, reporting into the HR Director and managing a Payroll & Benefits Coordinator, this role promotes internal strategy and payroll operations whilst delicately balancing employee benefits and compliance.

Working closely with HR leadership, Finance, People Analytics, and external partners, this position will oversee market benchmarking, compliance, and innovative rewards programs that enhance the employee experience while ensuring compliance with global and regional regulations. This is a permanent position, based in our fabulous UK Head office in London.

Your responsibilities:

• Provide guidance to HR Business Partners and managers on compensation decisions, policies, and best practices.
• Provide line management to the team coordinator.
• Manage Employee Benefits.
• Benefits Administration: Oversee the administration of employee benefits programmes (e.g., pensions, healthcare, life assurance).
• Work with brokers and providers to ensure our plans are competitive and well-communicated to employees.
• Partner with external providers to negotiate renewals, manage contracts, and optimise cost/value.
• Lead the annual benefits enrolment process and ensure accurate employee data management.
• Evaluate and recommend new benefits that enhance the employee experience and support organisational culture.
• Monitor utilisation and effectiveness of benefits offerings through data and employee feedback.
• Compensation: Manage and execute the payroll of employees across corporate and retail.
• Support the design, implementation, and maintenance of the organisation’s compensation strategy such as incentive schemes, bonus plans, and performance-related pay frameworks.
• Maintain accurate compensation and benefits data within HR systems.
• Analyse pay trends, turnover data, and workforce metrics to identify risks and opportunities.
• Support annual salary review cycles, including modelling, budgeting, and reporting.
• Conduct job evaluations, benchmarking, and market analysis to ensure internal equity and external competitiveness.
• Maintain salary structures, pay bands, and job architecture frameworks.

Compliance:

• Produce regular dashboards and insights for HR and leadership teams.
• Ensure compliance with statutory reporting requirements and internal audit standards, driving ahead with recommendations to the business for continuous improvement.
• Partnering with Finance to support the development of policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation (e.g., National Minimum Wage, Equal Pay, Gender Pay Gap reporting).

Your background:

• Experienced with compensation modelling tools & benchmarking platforms such as Willis Towers Watson or MERCER.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems and demonstrable advanced Excel skills.
• Well acquainted and experienced with HMRC auditing, legislative updates and regulations.
• Experience in devising compensation structures such as commission schemes, LTIPS and having been responsible for overseeing internal pension structures.
• Seasoned expert with managing payroll processes ensuring timely and accurate payments and compliance with local regulations.
• Credible background managing employee benefits, systems and ongoing coordination.
• Strong technical capability and analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and present insights clearly.
• A strong commercial acumen, with the ability to broker relationships for contract negotiations.
• Knowledge of UK employment law, HMRC requirements and reward-related regulations.
• Communication skills: Ability to translate complex compensation topics into clear, compelling narratives for employees and leadership.
• Proven ability to influence and build strong relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Employee first mentality, with excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Benefits you’ll love:

• Generous product allocation & discount to spend on our gorgeous products!
• Supporting the delicate work/life balance with enhanced time off through 26 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday day off + time off for when you get married or move house PLUS enhanced parental allowance for those big life moments and the chance to buy more through our holiday buy scheme.
• Plan for your future with our 8% matching pension scheme (up to) and life Assurance up to x4 your salary.
• We operate an annual bonus scheme, based on personal development plans and business performance.
• Flexible Fridays, so you can focus on what is important to you.
• Flexible & hybrid work patterns to suit all backgrounds with 60% of your time being in the office.
• Wellbeing programmes including mental health first aiders, free counselling, access to digital GP’s and exclusive retail discounts.
• Monthly access to L&D opportunities to help your continuous development.

Inclusion:

Together, we can build a vibrant and dynamic team that reflects the diverse world we serve. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our creativity, innovation, and overall success.

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or religion and are proud to promote a culture which supports and appreciates people from all backgrounds. We are always open to flexible working, part time arrangements and any adjustments which you might need to get the best experience whilst at work.

We are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities and ensuring that our hiring practices reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Our hiring process: Once you have applied for the role, our in-house recruitment team will screen your CV. We will do our best to get back to all candidates who apply, however in some cases it may not be possible due to the high volume of applications. If you have not heard back from us within 30 days of your application, unfortunately this may mean you have not been successful on this occasion.

If your CV is shortlisted, then you will be contacted by our recruitment team. They will arrange a pre-screening call, to explore your motivation, suitability and role expectations. After the pre-screen, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. Successful applicants will be invited to at least 1 interview. Preferably, we would like to meet you in person and give you the opportunity to test your commute as well as see your potential place of work! In some cases, we may invite you to an assessment centre or to present your ideas in the form of a business presentation.

Please note: If you do not have the right to work in the UK and would require sponsorship for this role then you must ensure you meet UKVI requirements for the position which may include having a degree level qualification.