Head of Payroll

KennedyPearce Consulting; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary services

Employee discount

Company pension

Annual leave 22–25 days

Flexible hours

Strategic leadership role

Job summary

KennedyPearce Consulting is partnered with a well-established, multi-site consumer brand to appoint their first Head of Payroll in Central London. You will own the end‑to‑end payroll operation, lead a transition from outsourcing to in‑house, and drive systems implementation with strong governance.

You will collaborate with Finance, HR and operations, influence senior stakeholders, and shape the payroll function as the business grows, ensuring compliance and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Significant end-to-end payroll experience at manager level or above.
• Experience bringing payroll in‑house or implementing a payroll system.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation, governance and compliance.
• Experience in multi-site environments, ideally retail/hospitality/leisure or customer-facing businesses.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of end-to-end payroll for ~200 employees.
• Lead transition from outsourced to in‑house payroll.
• Evaluate and oversee new payroll system implementation with Finance Director.
• Develop robust payroll processes, controls and governance.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

In-house payroll

Payroll system implementation

Stakeholder management

Compliance governance

Job description

Location: Central London

Salary: £60,000-£80,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Working Pattern: Hybrid (3 days in the office)

We are partnering with a well-established, multi-site consumer business to appoint their first Head of Payroll.

This is a rare opportunity to establish and lead an in-house payroll function for a recognised British brand as it transitions away from an outsourced payroll provider. Reporting directly to the Finance Director, with a dotted line into the Head of HR, you will take full ownership of payroll strategy and operations, leading the implementation of a new payroll system while building robust processes, controls and governance to support the future growth of the business.

Initially, this will be a hands‑on role, with responsibility for the day‑to‑day delivery of payroll. However, the organisation is looking for a senior payroll professional who can provide strategic direction, influence senior stakeholders and build a best‑in‑class payroll function from the ground up.

If you're looking for an opportunity where you can genuinely make your mark and shape the future of payroll within a successful, growing organisation, this role offers exactly that.

The Role

• Take full ownership of the payroll function, ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of end-to-end payroll for approximately 200 employees.
• Process payroll for a combination of permanent employees and self‑employed workers, including commissions, variable pay and TRONC arrangements.
• Lead the transition from an outsourced payroll model to a fully in‑house payroll function.
• Evaluate, select and oversee the implementation of a new payroll system, working closely with the Finance Director.
• Develop and implement robust payroll processes, controls and governance frameworks to support business growth.
• Act as the organisation's payroll subject matter expert, providing guidance on payroll legislation, compliance and best practice.
• Partner closely with Finance, HR and operational teams to ensure payroll integrates seamlessly across the business.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and driving continuous improvement.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through automation, process optimisation and technology.
• Ensure payroll remains fully compliant with current legislation, HMRC requirements and internal policies.

About You

To be successful in this role, you'll ideally have:

• Significant end-to-end payroll experience, operating at Payroll Manager, Head of Payroll or equivalent level.
• Experience leading or playing a significant role in bringing payroll in‑house or implementing a payroll system.
• A strong understanding of payroll legislation, governance, controls and compliance.
• Previous experience within a multi‑site environment, ideally across retail, hospitality, leisure, beauty or another customer‑facing business.
• Experience processing payroll involving commissions, variable pay and/or TRONC.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence senior leadership.
• A strategic mindset, balanced with a willingness to remain hands‑on where required.
• A track record of improving payroll processes, controls and operational efficiency.
• Strong leadership capability with the potential to develop and shape the payroll function as the business evolves.

Benefits

• Complimentary services.
• Generous employee discount on products.
• Company pension scheme.
• 22 days' annual leave, increasing to 25 days with length of service, plus bank holidays.
• Flexible working hours, with core office hours between 10:00am and 4:00pm.
• The opportunity to build and lead an in‑house payroll function from the ground up.
• A highly visible role with genuine strategic influence across Finance and HR.
• Long‑term career progression within a successful and growing organisation.