Payroll Manager – Ref 10862

Role: Payroll Manager

Duration: 12-month fixed-term contract

Salary: £50,000 – £60,000 per annum, depending on experience

Benefits: Pension

Location: Leicestershire – hybrid, with 1/2 days a week on site

Start: ASAP

Reference: 10862

Is your strength keeping a large payroll steady while you make it better?

Our client, a large and growing service provider employing around 2,000 people, needs an experienced Payroll Manager for a 12-month fixed-term contract. Your first priority is continuity — everyone paid correctly and on time, every payday. Once that is secure, you will look closely at how payroll works today and lead practical improvements to its systems, processes and controls.

You will report into Finance and lead a payroll team of four. The organisation is in a period of change under a new leadership team, so you will have real scope to influence how payroll is run. Ideally, you will be able to start at short notice.

How the 12 months will look:

• Stabilise: take ownership of payroll, secure accurate and timely pay, and get to know the team and the pay cycle;
• Strengthen: tighten controls and reconciliations, and build the team’s confidence and capability;
• Improve: identify where systems and processes can work better, and give senior leaders clear, practical recommendations.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Owning end-to-end payroll for around 2,000 employees, ensuring accurate and on-time pay;
• Leading, supporting and developing a team of four, setting priorities and quality checks;
• Overseeing new starters, leavers and employee changes, and resolving payroll queries promptly;
• Managing pensions and auto-enrolment;
• Ensuring compliance with HMRC requirements, including RTI submissions;
• Reviewing and strengthening payroll controls, reconciliations and reporting;
• Getting the best from the payroll system (Sage 50 Payroll) and recommending improvements to processes and systems.

Ideally you will have:

• Proven experience as a Payroll Manager or senior payroll lead, running a large payroll end to end;
• Hands-on Sage 50 Payroll experience (essential);
• Experience of leading and developing a payroll team;
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, RTI, pensions and auto-enrolment;
• A track record of improving payroll processes, controls or systems – an advantage;
• Experience of high-volume, multi-site or shift-based payroll – an advantage;
• A calm, organised approach, excellent attention to detail and respect for confidentiality.

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract, employed directly by our client.

If you are a payroll leader who brings stability first and improvement second, we would love to hear from you. Apply today or contact Athwal Resourcing for a confidential conversation.