Finance Manager

JGA Recruitment; Cheltenham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

JGA Recruitment Group Ltd is seeking a Payroll & Finance Operations Manager in Cheltenham. This permanent, full-time role combines senior payroll ownership for 600+ employees with leading a four-person Finance Operations team in a hybrid setup (3 days in the office, 2 days at home).

You will own monthly payroll end-to-end, manage complex pay elements, ensure compliance with UK payroll legislation, drive system implementation and automation, and work with HR, IT and senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Experienced Finance Manager with UK payroll knowledge.
• Payroll populations 500-1,000+ employees.
• Involvement in a payroll system implementation or major system change.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and pensions.
• Proven experience leading and developing a small team.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end monthly payroll for 600+ employees.
• Manage complex pay elements including expenses, commissions and Partner payrolls.
• Act as the SME for UK payroll legislation, compliance and pensions.
• Lead the rollout of a new HR/payroll system.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations, reporting, submissions and controls.
• Lead and develop a team of 4 across payroll and finance operations.
• Drive automation and process improvements in payroll and finance.
• Collaborate with HR, IT, Finance and senior stakeholders.

Skills

UK payroll

End-to-end payroll

Team leadership

Automation

Project management

Stakeholder comms

Tools

Dayforce

HRIS

Job description

Payroll & Finance Operations Manager

Salary: £60,000-£70,000

Location: Cheltenham

Hybrid: 3 days office / 2 days home - likely more office-based initially

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Team: 4 direct reports

The Opportunity

A senior opportunity for an experienced Finance Manager to take ownership of a growing internal payroll function while leading a small Finance Operations team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end monthly payroll for 600+ employees, with the population continuing to grow.
• Manage more complex pay elements including expenses, commission and Partner-level payrolls.
• Act as the business's subject matter expert for UK payroll legislation, compliance, pensions and statutory requirements.
• Play a key role in the implementation and rollout of a new HR and payroll system.
• Manage payroll reconciliations, reporting, submissions and controls.
• Lead and develop a team of 4 across payroll and wider finance operations.
• Oversee areas including VAT returns, cash management, banking and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Drive automation and identify opportunities to improve payroll and finance processes.
• Work closely with HR, IT, Finance and senior stakeholders throughout transformation projects.
• Ensure strong governance and controls are maintained throughout the payroll function.

Ideal Candidate

• Experienced Finance Manager with strong end-to-end UK payroll knowledge.
• Experience managing payroll populations of approximately 500-1,000+ employees.
• Previous involvement in a payroll system implementation or major system change is essential.
• Strong technical knowledge of UK payroll legislation, pensions and compliance.
• Proven experience managing and developing a small team.
• Comfortable handling complex payrolls and working as the senior payroll SME.
• Strong process improvement, automation and project management experience.
• Polished communicator who is comfortable operating within a professional services/corporate environment.
• Dayforce experience would be advantageous but is not required.
• Wider finance operations exposure would be beneficial.
• Due to the office location, the successful candidate will need to drive.

JGA Recruitment Group Ltd ("We") are committed to equality of opportunity for all applications regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. We strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply.