Global Payroll Manager

Baringa; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in the United Kingdom is seeking a Global Payroll Manager to lead their payroll function across 12+ countries. This role involves driving process improvements through automation and collaboration with internal teams and external providers. The ideal candidate will have strong global payroll expertise and a passion for continuous improvement. Excellent benefits such as generous leave policies and flexible working are offered.

Benefits

Generous Annual Leave Policy

Flexible Working

Corporate Responsibility Days

Wellbeing Fund

Profit Share Scheme

Qualifications

• Minimum experience leading payroll operations with exposure to multi-country payrolls.
• Proven ability to drive transformation through automation.
• Strong understanding of payroll governance and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape the global payroll function.
• Improve payroll delivery in collaboration with external providers.
• Work closely with Global Payroll Specialists to foster excellence.
• Collaborate across Baringa functions to ensure integration.
• Drive continuous improvement through automation.

Skills

Experience leading payroll operations

Ability to shape payroll strategy

Understanding of global payroll compliance

Commercial awareness

Inclusive leadership

Confident managing external payroll providers

Organized and adaptable

Education

CIPP qualifications or recognized experience

Tools

ActivPayroll

Workday

Job description

About Baringa

We set out to build the world’s most trusted consulting firm - creating lasting impact for clients and pioneering a positive, people-first way of working. We work with everyone from FTSE 100 names to bright new start‑ups, in every sector. You’ll find us collaborating shoulder‑to‑shoulder with our clients, from the big picture right down to the detail: helping them define their strategy, deliver complex change, spot the right commercial opportunities, manage risk, or bring their purpose and sustainability goals to life. Our clients love how we get to know what makes their organisations tick - slotting seamlessly into their teams and being proudly geeky about solving their challenges. We have hubs in Europe, the US, Asia and Australia, and we work all around the world - from a wind farm in Wyoming to a boardroom in Berlin. Find us wherever there’s a challenge to be tackled and an impact to be made.

Our People team are looking for an experienced Global Payroll Manager to join us

The Payroll Team is a key part of our Reward function, delivering exceptionally high accuracy rates while providing expert support to all of our global employees. They ensure every employee is paid accurately and on time, and act as the go‑to resource for queries on Income Tax, Social Security, Pension, and Taxable Benefits. This is an exciting opportunity to lead an already high‑performing payroll team and shape the future of the function. You’ll have the chance to drive automation, AI adoption, and innovative ways of working, while maintaining the team’s reputation for excellence. The role offers the chance to collaborate closely with cross‑functional colleagues across the business, embedding best practice and championing continuous improvement. We welcome fresh ideas, a forward‑thinking mindset, and a passion for pushing boundaries while keeping a keen eye on detail.

What you will be doing

• Lead and shape our global payroll function, setting the strategic direction as we continue to grow across 12+ countries.
• Improve our already impressive accurate, compliant, and timely payroll delivery in partnership with our external providers, ensuring alignment with local legislation and Baringa policies.
• Work closely with two talented Global Payroll Specialists, supporting their development and fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
• Collaborate with our peers across all Baringa Enablement functions such as HR, Finance, and Legal to ensure payroll is seamlessly integrated into wider business operations, audits, and new market entries.
• Drive continuous improvement through smarter processes, automation, and innovative use of technology.
• Maintain strong governance, controls, and vendor relationships to safeguard compliance and operational resilience.
• Champion an employee‑centred payroll experience and ensure the function evolves in line with our growth and future needs.

Your skills and experience

• Experience leading payroll operations, with exposure to multi‑country or global payrolls.
• Proven ability to shape payroll strategy and drive transformation through automation, AI, and process improvement.
• Strong understanding of global payroll compliance, risk management, and governance.
• Commercially aware, with the ability to align payroll priorities to business growth and strategic goals.
• Inclusive and people‑focused leader who develops, supports, and empowers their team.
• Confident managing external payroll providers and building trusted partnerships across HR, Finance, and the wider business.
• Organised, adaptable, and able to balance strategic direction with hands‑on delivery.
• Your skillset may include CIPP qualifications or recognised experience within the field.
• Familiarity with ActivPayroll and Workday is a plus.

What a career at Baringa will give you

Putting People First.

Baringa is a People First company and wellbeing is at the forefront of our culture. We recognise the importance of work‑life balance and flexible working and provide our staff amazing benefits. Some of these benefits include:

• Generous Annual Leave Policy: We recognise everyone needs a well‑deserved break. We provide our employees with 5 weeks of annual leave, fully available at the start of each year. In addition to this, we have introduced our 5‑Year Recharge benefit which allows all employees an additional 2 weeks of paid leave after 5 years continuous service.
• Flexible Working: We know that the ‘ideal’ work‑life balance will vary from person to person and change at different stages of our working lives. To accommodate this, we have implemented a hybrid working policy and introduced more flexibility around taking unpaid leave.
• Corporate Responsibility Days: Our world is important to us, so all our employees get 3 every year to help social and environmental causes and increase our impact on the communities that mean the most to us.
• Wellbeing Fund: We want to encourage all employees to take charge and prioritise their own wellbeing. We’ve introduced our annual People Fund to support this by offering every individual a fund to support and manage their wellbeing through an activity of their choice.
• Profit Share Scheme: All employees participate in the Baringa Group Profit Share Scheme so everyone has a stake in the company’s success.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that creating an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging is central to our culture and that diversity is paramount to driving creativity, innovation, and value for our clients and for our people.

An award‑winning workplace

You can be a part of our ‘Great Place to Work’ — with our commitment to women and well‑being in the workplace for all. Click here to see some of our recent awards and how we’ve achieved this.

Using business as a force for good.

We maintain high standards of environmental performance and transparency, which can be seen through our commitment to Net Zero with our SBTI‑verified Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reduction targets and our support of the Better Business Act. We report our progress publicly and ensure that we are also externally assessed and scored through organisations like CDP and EcoVadis — helping us to continually identify where we can improve. We have a long legacy of supporting the communities in which we work, and offer a variety of ways to contribute, by putting people first and creating impact that lasts. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda is about giving back to the communities in which we live and work by sharing our skills, talent and time. In essence, we aim to empower and encourage everyone in the firm to contribute to the things we care about, and support registered charities and organisations with a clear social or environmental purpose to increase the positive impact they can have.

Join us

All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, age, faith or social background. We do not filter applications by university background and encourage those who have taken alternative educational and career paths to apply. We would like to actively encourage applications from those who identify with less represented and minority groups. We operate an inclusive recruitment process, ensuring reasonable adjustments where needed. Please contact a member of our Recruitment Team to discuss further.

Baringa Privacy Notices

For UK & EU

Your personal data will be retained by Baringa for up to two years, in accordance with our UK Recruitment Privacy Notice / EU Recruitment Privacy Notice, to evaluate your application and meet our legal and reporting obligations. In line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the right to request access to, rectification, or erasure (subject to legal limitations) of your personal data. For more information, please contact us at [e-mail].

For the USA

Your personal data may be retained by Baringa for up to two years, as outlined in our Recruitment Privacy Notice (AMER & APAC), to support the recruitment process and internal reporting requirements. Where applicable, and in accordance with relevant federal and state laws, you may have the right to request access to or correction of your personal information. For further details, please contact [e-mail].

For Australia & Singapore

Your personal data will be retained by Baringa for up to two years, in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice (AMER & APAC), to assess your application and meet applicable reporting and legal obligations. In line with the Australian Privacy Act and Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), you may have rights to access, correct, or request limited deletion of your personal data. For more information, please contact us at [e-mail].