EMEA Payroll Specialist

Gentrack Ltd (Global); Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Private medical insurance

Life and income protection

24-days annual leave

Enhanced parental leave

Tailored learning and development

Flexible working hours and remote-work

Job summary

Gentrack Ltd (Global) is seeking an experienced EMEA Payroll Specialist in London to lead the UK payroll and support the Northern Hemisphere. You will partner with the PX team and finance to ensure accuracy, compliance and continuous improvement across payroll processes.

You will also cover accounts payable activities as needed and drive governance and change initiatives to optimise efficiency while managing multiple currencies and complex data.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of payroll experience.
• Minimum of 5 years payroll experience running in-house payroll.
• Minimum of 5 years’ UK payroll experience liaising with HMRC.
• Excellent understanding of statutory requirements and payroll legislation.
• Strong accounting knowledge: debits/credits, cost accruals, reconciliations.
• Experience with multi-currency payroll and cost centres is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Act as SME for in-house UK payroll and manage Northern Hemisphere payroll.
• Ensure accurate employee data, timely third-party submissions, and compliant pay runs.
• Prepare payroll journals and reconcile payroll-related accounts.
• Collaborate with PX team on remuneration reviews and gender pay reporting.
• Support accounts payable and other accounting activities as required.
• Drive change management and continuous improvement in payroll processes.

Skills

Payroll

UK payroll

HMRC liaison

Excel

Analytical

Data integrity

Multi-currency

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Attention to detail

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Description

As the EMEA Payroll Specialist reporting to the Group Finance Manager, you will play a crucial role in managing the payroll function for the Northern Hemisphere. Effectively partnering with key stakeholders such as the People Experience team to ensure excellent levels of accuracy. Beyond operational tasks, you will drive change management and focus on continuous improvement to enhance overall efficiency within the payroll function.

Department

Finance

Location

London, UK

As the EMEA Payroll Specialist reporting to the Group Finance Manager, you will play a crucial role in managing the payroll function for the Northern Hemisphere. Effectively partnering with key stakeholders such as the People Experience team to ensure excellent levels of accuracy. Beyond operational tasks, you will drive change management and focus on continuous improvement to enhance overall efficiency within the payroll function. While payroll will remain the primary focus of this role, you will also provide support and coverage for accounts payable and other accounting activities, as required.

Your Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management & Operations

• Act as the subject matter expert for the in-house UK Payroll.
• Directly manage payroll for the Northern Hemisphere ensuring:
  • Employee data is accurately maintained and uploaded within payroll systems.
  • All relevant information is provided to third party payroll providers in a timely manner
  • Payroll earnings, deductions, and employee records are accurate, complete and compliant.
  • All pay runs are completed within established deadlines allowing sufficient time for review, adjustments, and processing
  • Payroll reporting requirements are met accurately and on schedule.

Payroll Accounting & Reconciliations

• Complete monthly payroll accounting that includes:
  • Preparation of payroll journals and related accounting entries.
  • Reconciliation of payroll related balance sheet accounts.
  • Analysis and investigation of payroll cost movements and variances.
  • Support month-end and year-end financial reporting requirements.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain effective relationships with third-party payroll providers and contractors to ensure accurate payroll processing and continuous improvement of payroll controls and processes.
• Partner closely with the People Experience (PX) team on strategic initiatives, including annual remuneration reviews, gender pay reporting, and employee data integrity.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders and key stakeholders on payroll-related matters.

Compliance & Governance

• Manage compliance of any payroll related tax filings, including but not limited to PSA and P11D, and any other payroll related obligations.
• Perform regular payroll reviews and data integrity checks and drive payroll process improvements locally as well as globally ensuring consistency where possible.

Finance & Accounts Payable Support

• Provide support and coverage for Accounts Payable and other Accounting & Finance activities, as required, including:
  • Processing supplier invoices and payments.
  • Preparing accounting adjustments and reconciliations.
  • Assisting with financial reporting, analysis, and month -end activities.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Be a trusted advisor to the leadership team regarding the payroll function
• Partner with the Senior Payroll Officer for the southern hemisphere to ensure effective payroll coverage, knowledge sharing and consistency of global payroll processes.
• Provide responsive and professional support to internal stakeholders to ensure queries are addressed within agreed service levels.
• Contribute to broader Finance team initiatives and organisational projects as required
• Undertake any other duties reasonably requested by your manager.

What We’re Looking For:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in payroll
• Minimum of 5 years payroll experience in running in-house payroll
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience is UK payroll and working with liaising HMRC
• Excellent understanding of statutory requirements and payroll legislations.
• Solid understanding of accounting concepts in relation to debits and credits, cost accruals, balance sheet reconciliations, as well as exposure working with multiple currencies and cost centres.
• Exposure to accounts payable processes, including invoice processing and payment preparation, would be advantageous.
• Exposure to ESOP pay-out and related payroll compliances.
• Problem solving ability, analytical, numeracy and excellent reconciliation skills.
• Intermediate-Advanced knowledge in MS Excel including creating pivot tables, v-look ups and any other necessary functions.
• Ability to manage assigned tasks and relationships with stakeholders across different time zones.
• Excellent attention to detail and time management skills.
• Ability to manage the demands of a rapidly evolving environment.
• A passion for excellence and a commitment to be the best.
• Sound judgement and determination to achieve with a sense of urgency.
• Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills.
• An open-minded consultative approach.
• Ability to give and receive positive and constructive feedback.
• Ability to creatively solve problems.

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive salary
• Private medical insurance
• Life and income protection
• 24-days annual leave
• Enhanced parental leave
• Tailored learning and development opportunities
• Flexible working hours and remote-work opportunities

To discover more about Gentrack and how we’re transforming energy and water utilities with innovative solutions, please visit our website and LinkedIn.