Head of Pensions and Payroll

Portfolio Payroll Limited; England; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent payroll and pensions services provider in the UK is seeking a Head of Payroll & Pensions to oversee operations for a workforce of over 22,000 employees. You will provide strategic vision, enhance processes, and ensure compliance across multiple pension schemes. The ideal candidate has extensive leadership experience in payroll operations and pension administration, along with a history of driving service improvement and managing senior stakeholder relationships. This role emphasizes team development and engagement.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing large-scale payroll operations.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing a pension administration service.
• Strong track record of leading organisational change.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage payroll operations for 22,000+ staff.
• Provide strategic direction for process enhancements.
• Manage relationships with senior internal stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Payroll operations management

Pension administration

Stakeholder management

Continuous improvement

Job description

Are you an experienced payroll and pensions leader ready to shape and deliver a first-class service at scale? Our client is seeking a dynamic Head of Payroll & Pensions to oversee payroll operations and the pension administration service for a workforce of over 22,000 employees.

This is a pivotal role, responsible for providing strategic vision, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring efficient, accurate, and compliant delivery across multiple complex pension schemes. You will lead a large, dedicated team and champion their development-ensuring high engagement, capability, and service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage payroll operations and pension administration for 22,000+ staff
• Provide strategic direction, identifying and driving process and system enhancements
• Build strong relationships with senior internal stakeholders to support organisational goals
• Ensure effective governance, compliance, and risk management across multiple pension schemes
• Develop, mentor, and support the payroll and pensions team to achieve operational excellence

About You

You will be a proven, senior-level leader with :

• Extensive experience managing large-scale payroll operations and high-volume processing
• Demonstrated experience overseeing a pension administration service
• Strong track record of leading organisational change and service improvement
• Confidence in managing relationships at executive and board level

Passion for dev...