Group Payroll Manager – Ranger Fire & Security

Ranger Services Holdings Limited; Motherwell; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Private health insurance

Life insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Annual leave 25 days

Career progression

Collaborative culture

Job summary

Ranger Fire & Security is seeking a Group Payroll Manager to own payroll operations across the expanding group, based in Scotland - Motherwell. You will drive consistency, compliance, and strategic leadership across multi-entity payroll landscapes, ensuring accurate and timely pay for a diverse workforce.

The role covers due diligence for acquisitions, harmonisation of processes, and developing a scalable payroll function with strong governance and stakeholder collaboration.

Qualifications

• Senior payroll leadership within a multi-entity or group environment.
• Experience managing payroll through acquisitions or rapid growth.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, HMRC rules and pensions.
• Experience with payroll systems transformation or consolidation.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with analytical mindset and continuous improvement focus.
• Strategic yet hands-on when needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll operations across all group entities with accuracy and compliance.
• Own payroll due diligence, onboarding and harmonisation for acquisitions.
• Standardise processes, introduce controls, automation and best practice.
• Manage and develop a payroll team as the business scales.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, pensions, reporting and internal audits.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR and operations to support business needs.
• Oversee payroll systems, vendor relationships and roadmap.
• Deliver payroll reporting, cost analysis and insights to senior leaders.
• Be the key contact on payroll queries for audits.
• Provide ad hoc payroll reporting to group HR/Finance.

Skills

Senior payroll leadership

Multi-entity payroll

Acquisitions experience

UK payroll legislation

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Analytical thinking

Job description

Group Payroll Manager - Ranger Fire & Security

Location: Scotland - Motherwell

Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Role Overview

The Group Payroll Manager will take full ownership of payroll operations across Ranger Fire & Security's rapidly expanding, highly acquisitive group. The role exists to bring consistency, compliance, and strategic leadership to a payroll landscape that is growing in scale and complexity with each acquisition.

The mission is to build a best-in-class, scalable payroll function that supports a diverse workforce, integrates newly acquired businesses smoothly, and ensures every colleague is paid accurately and on time.

Key Responsibilities

• Group payroll leadership - Lead and manage end-to-end payroll operations across all group entities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery.


• Acquisition integration - Own payroll due diligence, onboarding, and harmonisation for newly acquired companies, including systems, processes, and data migration.


• Process optimisation - Standardise payroll processes across the group, introducing controls, automation, and best practice.


• Team management - Lead and develop a small but growing payroll team, ensuring capability and capacity scale with the business.


• Compliance & governance - Ensure full compliance with HMRC regulations, pensions legislation, statutory reporting, and internal audit requirements.


• Stakeholder partnership - Work closely with Finance, HR, Operations, and acquired leadership teams to support business needs and resolve payroll queries.


• Systems ownership - Oversee payroll systems, vendor relationships, and system upgrades; lead the roadmap for future payroll technology.


• Reporting & analytics - Deliver payroll reporting, cost analysis, and insights to senior leadership.


• Audit - Key contact on payroll queries for audit.


• Adhoc reporting - Adhoc reporting to group HR / Finance as required.

Experience & Skills Required

• Senior payroll leadership experience within a multi-entity or group environment.


• Proven track record managing payroll through acquisitions, integrations, or rapid organisational growth.


• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, and pension schemes.


• Experience with payroll systems transformation or consolidation projects.


• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.


• High attention to detail, strong analytical capability, and a continuous-improvement mindset.


• Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on when needed.

What Ranger Fire & Security Offers

• Opportunity to shape and lead a payroll function during a period of significant growth.


• A role with genuine influence at group level.


• A collaborative culture with a leadership team that values expertise and innovation.


• Career progression as the group continues to expand.

Benefits Package

• Competitive base salary £50K - £60K


• Pension scheme and employee benefits


• Private health insurance


• Life insurance


• Employee Assistance Program


• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays (option to buy additional days)


• Clear career progression within a fast-growing Group


• Supportive, collaborative team culture

Equal Opportunities Statement

As an equal opportunities employer, RangerFS is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Ranger