EMEA Payroll Specialist

CMC Markets; City Of London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial services firm in London seeks an experienced EMEA Payroll Specialist for a 6-month Fixed Term Contract. The role involves supporting payroll services across multiple countries, ensuring compliance, and contributing to payroll transformation initiatives. Candidates should have over 3 years of payroll processing experience and strong Excel skills. This role requires excellent communication abilities and attention to detail, as well as an ability to work under tight deadlines.

Benefits

Diverse and inclusive workplace

Equal opportunities employer

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ experience in end-to-end payroll processing.
• Proven track record with a fully managed outsourced payroll provider.
• Experience covering multi-country payrolls within EMEA.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end payroll administration across UK and EMEA.
• Perform compliance checks for accuracy and timeliness.
• Monitor payments to third parties including tax authorities.

Skills

End-to-end payroll processing

Experience with outsourced payroll provider

Multi-country payroll

Excel skills

Numeracy and analytical skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Ability to meet deadlines

Tools

Excel

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced EMEA Payroll Specialist to join us on a 6 month Fixed Term Contract. This role will support the delivery of accurate and timely payroll services across 14 payrolls in the UK, Austria, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the US, working closely with our outsourced payroll provider.

Sitting within a team of three and reporting to the Senior Payroll Manager, you will work alongside one other Payroll Specialist and play a critical role in ensuring payroll compliance, reconciliations, and benefits administration. As the business undergoes a payroll transformation, this role will require awareness of upcoming changes and the ability to adapt to new processes. You will also contribute to improving highly manual processes by developing and maintaining robust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration

• Support the end-to-end administration of UK and EMEA payrolls, in partnership with the outsourced payroll provider.
• Perform compliance checks and ensure payroll outputs are accurate and timely.
• Monitor payments to third parties, including tax authorities, pensions, and other statutory obligations.
• Carry out regular reconciliations to ensure data integrity and compliance.

Benefits & Pensions

• Administer employee benefit schemes and pension contributions across multiple jurisdictions.
• Ensure timely processing and accuracy of benefit-related payroll inputs.

Reporting & Month-End Support

• Assist with month-end activities, including generation of payroll and HR reports.
• Support Finance and HR colleagues with payroll-related data and insights.

Process & Compliance

• Develop, maintain, and improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure payroll activities are compliant with local legislation, internal policies, and audit requirements.
• Identify and escalate issues in a timely manner, ensuring risks are mitigated.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Work collaboratively within the HR team and with wider business stakeholders.
• Adapt to process changes arising from ongoing payroll transformation initiatives.
• Contribute ideas to improve accuracy, efficiency, and automation in payroll processes.

Skills, Experience & Competencies

• 3+ years’ experience in end-to-end payroll processing.
• Proven track record of working with a fully managed outsourced payroll provider.
• Experience covering multi-country payrolls within EMEA.
• Intermediate Excel skills (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables, reconciliations).
• Strong numeracy and analytical skills, with high attention to detail.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build strong stakeholder relationships at all levels.
• Calm and resilient under pressure, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Flexible, adaptable, and willing to expand knowledge of EMEA payroll requirements.

CMC Markets is powered by our people. We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, where our people feel confident to be themselves, feel valued and are able to do their best work. We don’t just value differences and unique perspectives, we seek them out and we invite them in, because we know it will lead to better outcomes for everyone.