Group Payroll Manager (UK & ROI)

Portfolio Payroll Limited; Greater London; Remote; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent Benefits Package

Job summary

Portfolio Payroll Limited is recruiting a Group Payroll Manager to lead UK & ROI payroll operations from a fully remote setting. The role encompasses end-to-end governance across the UK, ROI and Europe with a focus on automation, systems integration and data accuracy.

You will drive transformation of the payroll function, strip out manual steps, implement self-service, and partner with HRIS and Finance to deliver scalable, compliant processes. A CIPP or equivalent credential is highly regarded.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing complex multi-country payroll operations.
• Proven track record coaching payroll teams.
• Strong system integration and automation experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll operations UK, ROI and Europe.
• Govern end-to-end payroll processes.
• Drive automation and self-service initiatives.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and data privacy.
• Partner with HRIS and Finance for integrations.

Skills

Multi-country payroll

Team leadership

Pegasus Opera

Payroll automation

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Pegasus Opera

Job description

Group Payroll Manager (UK & ROI)

Location: Fully Remote

Salary: £55k + Excellent Benefits Package

Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time

About the Client

Portfolio Payroll is thrilled to partner with a leading international health and occupational wellness provider to recruit a strategic and forward-thinking Group Payroll Manager. As the business undergoes an exciting phase of growth and technological evolution, this role will lead the end-to-end transformation of their multi-country payroll ecosystem.

The Role

As the Group Payroll Manager, you will assume absolute end-to-end leadership and governance for all payroll operations across the UK, Republic of Ireland, and broader Europe. Based within 'The People Team', this high-impact position perfectly balances hands-on operational excellence with strategic transformation.

Your primary mission will be to modernise the function by stripping out manual interventions, driving automation, implementing self-service functionalities, and leading system integration projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Team Development: Direct, mentor, and performance-manage the payroll team. Build a robust capability framework that promotes a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• Multi-Country Operations: Oversee the accurate delivery of complex, multi-entity weekly and monthly payroll cycles across the UK and Europe.
• Systems & Integration Management: Maintain and configure core payroll systems, driving critical digital integrations with HRIS and Finance platforms.
• Transformation & Automation: Lead payroll automation projects, actively eliminating manual steps to transition the workforce toward modern self-service structures.
• Compliance & Corporate Governance: Manage relationships with regulatory bodies (HMRC, the Pension Regulator, and European equivalents). Mitigate employment tax liabilities and safeguard strict data privacy/ISO standards.
• Data-Driven Insights: Deliver high-quality business analytics covering headcount, absence tracking, earnings, and benefit metrics to support long-term corporate planning.

What We Are Looking For

The Absolute Essentials:

• Extensive experience managing complex, multi-country international payroll operations (UK, ROI & mainland Europe).
• Proven track record of leading, developing, and coaching high-performing payroll teams.
• Strong technical capability with payroll software setups like Pegasus Opera (or equivalent enterprise ERP tools).
• Demonstrable project experience driving payroll automation, systems integration, or digital transformations.

The Great-To-Haves:

• A professional payroll or finance credential, such as a Full CIPP Qualification.
• Deep knowledge of European employment tax structures and statutory compliance frameworks.
• Highly advanced MS Excel and data analytics capability.

The Ideal Profile

You are a transformative payroll leader who looks beyond the monthly processing cycle. You understand how to scale operations, build solid compliance frameworks, and use data-driven insights to influence senior stakeholders. If you thrive on change, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration with Finance and People teams, this is the perfect career move.