Interim Payroll Manager

Cedar; East Midlands, Greater London, West Midlands; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedar is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager on a 3-month contract to oversee end-to-end UK payroll for about 900 employees, with a hands-on remit and close collaboration with an outsourced payroll provider.

The role requires strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, reconciliation and reporting, excellent stakeholder management, and the ability to drive payroll governance and process improvements. ASAP start preferred, flexible location.

Qualifications

• Experience as Payroll Manager or senior payroll professional.
• UK payroll for large employee populations.
• Experience with outsourced payroll providers.
• Knowledge of UK payroll legislation and statutory payments.
• Experience with payroll reconciliation, validation and reporting.
• Strong Excel skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems.
• CIPP qualification or equivalent desirable.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of monthly UK payroll for ~900 employees.
• Manage day-to-day relationship with outsourced provider, meet SLAs.
• Submit payroll inputs: starters, leavers, changes, absence, variable pay.
• Review payroll outputs: gross-to-net calculations, deductions, pension.
• Complete payroll reconciliations, reporting, journals, audit evidence.
• Ensure payroll complies with UK legislation, HMRC, PAYE, NI, pension.
• Escalate payroll queries and resolve with stakeholders.
• Work with People Operations and Finance to maintain governance.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and accuracy.

Skills

UK payroll

Outsourced payroll

Stakeholder management

Excel skills

HRIS

Payroll reconciliation

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

HRIS

Job description

Payroll Manager

Location: Flexible

Contract: 3 months

IR35: Inside IR35

Day Rate: £300-£350 per day

Start Date: ASAP

We are currently supporting a leading organisation with the appointment of an experienced Payroll Manager on an initial 3-month contract.

This is a hands-on payroll role with responsibility for overseeing the end-to-end UK payroll process for approximately 900 employees, working closely with an external payroll provider to ensure payroll is delivered accurately, compliantly and on time each month.

You will act as the key point of contact between the organisation, its outsourced payroll provider, People Operations, Finance and employees, taking ownership of the payroll process and ensuring robust controls are in place throughout each payroll cycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the monthly UK payroll process for approximately 900 employees.
• Manage the day-to-day relationship with the outsourced payroll provider, ensuring deadlines, SLAs and issues are effectively managed.
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of all payroll inputs, including starters, leavers, contractual changes, absence and variable pay.
• Review and validate payroll outputs, including gross-to-net calculations, statutory deductions, pension contributions and payroll exceptions.
• Complete payroll reconciliations, reporting, journals and supporting audit evidence.
• Ensure payroll activity complies with UK legislation, HMRC requirements, PAYE, National Insurance and workplace pension obligations.
• Act as a point of escalation for payroll queries and resolve issues with internal stakeholders and the external provider.
• Work closely with People Operations and Finance to maintain strong payroll governance and controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, accuracy and efficiency.

You will ideally have:

• Previous experience in a Payroll Manager, Payroll Specialist or senior payroll position.
• Strong experience managing UK payroll, ideally for a similar-sized employee population.
• Experience working with an outsourced payroll provider.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and statutory payments.
• Experience with payroll reconciliation, validation and reporting.
• Strong Excel skills and excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to manage confidential and sensitive employee information.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience working with HRIS and payroll systems.
• CIPP qualification or equivalent would be desirable.

Important

This is an urgent requirement, so candidates with a one-month notice period are unlikely to be suitable. We are looking for someone who can start at short notice and immediately take ownership of the payroll process.