At a Glance
- Tasks: Run end-to-end payrolls and enhance our outsourced payroll service.
- Company: Join a fast-growing AI-native workforce management startup.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, generous leave, and professional development.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture with excellent growth opportunities and bi-annual retreats.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on frontline teams while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in UK payroll processing and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 39000 - 52000 £ per year.
3 billion people across the world work in frontline jobs. Yet, despite rising costs and staff shortages, frontline organisations are still left to choose between paper, Excel, and WhatsApp, or decade-old workforce management solutions to take care of the most important part of their businesses - their people.
Enter Sona: the next generation of AI-native, frontline workforce management. We’ve built an end-to-end platform covering Scheduling, HR, Payroll, and Communications that gives the largest frontline organisations everything they need to staff more intelligently and empower their teams.
In 4 years, we’ve already made a deep impact on the lives of over 100k frontline workers and the operation of their organisations, grown the team to 120+, and secured over $50M in funding from notable VC’s, including Felicis, Northzone, Gradient Ventures (Google), SpeedInvest, Antler, and Notion Capital, plus notable angels like Tom Blomfield (Monzo).
It’s a hugely exciting time to be joining the team as we’re still small enough that you’ll have a significant impact on the company’s growth trajectory and culture, yet large enough to have a great structure, experienced leaders and world-class benefits in place.
About the Role
Sona is on a mission to make work easier for frontline teams and payroll is a huge part of that. We’re growing fast, and now’s your chance to help shape the future of our outsourced payroll offering.
We’re looking for someone who’s confident running payroll and wants to take the next step in their career. Maybe you’ve been working in a bureau or running in-house payrolls and are now ready to take on a bigger challenge, with more ownership and customer interaction. If you’re excited by the idea of working in a fast-moving startup, this could be the perfect role for you.
You’ll be part of a small but mighty Payroll Bureau team, reporting into our Director of Payroll. You’ll play a key role in delivering a first-class service to our customers and helping us refine how we run outsourced payroll as we scale.
Responsibilities
- Running end-to-end payrolls for a growing portfolio of enterprise customers with complex payroll requirements (hourly pay rates, overtime, weekly, fortnightly or monthly payrolls).
- Being the go-to person for your clients, owning those relationships and giving them confidence in our service.
- Spotting where we can improve and helping put those improvements into action.
- Supporting our sales team from time to time as a payroll expert, helping prospective customers understand how our bureau works.
- Collaborating with teams across Sona, from Implementation and Product to Customer Success and Support.
- Getting to grips with our HR and WFM platform and how it connects with payroll.
- Keeping an eye on KPIs, SLAs and compliance to make sure we’re delivering the best possible service.
- Staying on top of legislation, tools and trends that might impact our payroll service.
Skills and Experience
You’ll need to bring…
- Solid experience processing UK payrolls, ideally in a bureau or outsourced setting.
- Strong attention to detail and a love for getting things right, especially when working with numbers.
- Good Excel or Google Sheets skills (e.g. VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, SUM, CONCATENATE).
- Great communication skills, you’re confident talking to customers and building trust.
- A proactive, can-do attitude; you spot problems before they happen and enjoy finding ways to solve them.
- Proactive and solutions-driven, tackling challenges head-on with a positive attitude.
- Commercially aware and eager to drive improvements, not just follow the status quo.
- Ownership mindset; if it can be done today, don’t wait for tomorrow.
Benefits
- Salary: £45,000 - £50,000.
- Hybrid working - 2+ days/week in our London office (Soho).
- Share options.
- 35 days annual leave (25 days standard plus 10 flexible public holiday days).
- Extra day of leave for every year of service.
- Pension contributions matched up to 5%.
- Comprehensive health insurance.
- Enhanced parental leave & pay.
- Co-working space stipend for those based outside London.
- Bi-annual all expenses paid team retreats.
- The latest Macbook and equipment budget for your home office.
- Professional development budget.
- Unlimited free books.
Note: this represents a typical benefits package for a UK-based, full-time employee. Exact details may vary based on location and employment type but we try to be as fair as possible to all of our team members. Please ask your contact in the Talent team to clarify the available benefits for you.
Senior Payroll Specialist employer: Sona
Sona is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, offering hybrid working arrangements and equity options to ensure employees feel valued and invested in the company's success. With generous leave policies and a strong focus on professional development, team members are encouraged to grow their skills while making a meaningful impact across diverse sectors such as hospitality, retail, and social care from the vibrant city of London.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Payroll Specialist
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the payroll and HR space. Attend industry events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got experience with Excel or Google Sheets, create a mini portfolio showcasing your best work. This could be anything from payroll reports to data analysis. Bring it along to interviews to impress potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! If you see a company you’re keen on, don’t wait for them to post a job. Reach out directly through our website, express your interest, and highlight how your skills can help them improve their payroll processes.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for the interview by researching the company’s culture and values. At Sona, we value ownership and a proactive attitude. Think of examples from your past experiences that demonstrate these traits, and be ready to share them!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Payroll Specialist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Payroll Specialist role. Highlight your experience with UK payrolls and any relevant skills that match what we're looking for. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for payroll and why you're excited about joining Sona. Let us know how your proactive attitude and problem-solving skills can help shape our payroll offering.
Show Off Your Numbers Skills:Since this role involves a lot of number crunching, make sure to showcase your Excel or Google Sheets skills. Mention specific functions you’re comfortable with, like VLOOKUP or Pivot Tables, to demonstrate your expertise.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sona
✨Know Your Payroll Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your payroll knowledge, especially UK payroll regulations and processes. Be ready to discuss your experience with complex payroll requirements and how you've handled them in the past.
✨Show Off Your Excel Skills
Since strong Excel skills are a must for this role, prepare to demonstrate your proficiency. Familiarise yourself with functions like VLOOKUP and Pivot Tables, and be ready to discuss how you've used these tools to improve payroll processes.
✨Build Rapport with Confidence
As you'll be the go-to person for clients, practice your communication skills. Think of examples where you've built trust with customers and how you’ve resolved their issues proactively. This will show that you can handle client relationships effectively.
✨Be Solutions-Driven
Sona values a proactive attitude, so come prepared with examples of how you've identified problems and implemented solutions in your previous roles. Highlight your ownership mindset and willingness to drive improvements rather than just following the status quo.
