Lead Payroll Specialist (Workday) – Hybrid

Cobb & Jones Recruitment Limited; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Cobb & Jones Recruitment Limited is recruiting an experienced Payroll Manager with strong Workday expertise to join our client’s multi-site group at Heathrow. You will own and deliver accurate payroll processing across the group, ensuring governance and data integrity while liaising with HR, Finance and external payroll providers.

The role requires 3–5+ years of payroll experience, deep knowledge of UK payroll legislation, and hands-on Workday experience.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years payroll experience.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation (HMRC, PAYE, NIC).
• Hands-on experience using Workday for payroll or HR data feeding into payroll.
• Experience managing end-to-end payroll processes.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations and controls.
• Ability to manage confidential data with integrity.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process (monthly and weekly as applicable).
• Validate payroll outputs and complete pre- and post-payroll reconciliations; submit RTI to HMRC.
• Act as Workday payroll lead; configure payroll workflows and ensure data integrity across payroll fields.
• Support optimisation of Workday payroll processes, including automation and integration with external providers.
• Liaise with payroll bureau or managed provider; transition employees onto a single service and resolve discrepancies.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, PAYE, NIC, pension auto-enrolment; manage year-end processes (P60s, P11Ds).
• Serve as payroll SME for queries and resolve complex issues; support HR and managers.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, efficiency and employee experience; support HR transformation.

Skills

Payroll experience

UK payroll

Workday

End-to-end payroll

Attention to detail

Payroll reconciliations

Data confidentiality

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Workday

Job description

Cobb & Jones Recruitment Limited is recruiting an experienced Payroll Manager with strong Workday expertise to join our client’s multi-site group at Heathrow. You will own and deliver accurate payroll processing across the group, ensuring governance and data integrity while liaising with HR, Finance and external payroll providers.

The role requires 3–5+ years of payroll experience, deep knowledge of UK payroll legislation, and hands-on Workday experience.