Payroll and Benefits Lead

McLaren Racing; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days' holiday

Discretionary annual bonus

Enhanced company pension scheme

Private medical insurance and health计划

Life assurance

Employee assistance programme

Wellbeing initiatives

Sabbatical after two years

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a Payroll & Benefits Lead to coordinate payroll and benefits across multiple regions with an outsourced provider. You will manage benefits programmes, respond to employee queries, and lead annual cycles to ensure accurate, compliant delivery.

You will work with Procurement, Legal, Finance and Tax to ensure smooth operations, drive improvements, and support transitions to HR systems such as SuccessFactors.

Qualifications

• Experience in international benefits and payroll across multiple countries.
• Experience managing benefits programmes with external providers.
• Strong stakeholder communication and project coordination.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in complex payroll environments.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines across countries and evolving processes.
• Comfortable working in ambiguity and driving process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and deliver payroll across 9 countries with an outsourced provider.
• Partner with external benefits providers to implement market-competitive programmes.
• Act as key contact for employee benefits queries and lead annual benefits processes.
• Serve as primary internal point of contact for global payroll coordination across 9 countries.
• Oversee end-to-end payroll cycle with outsourced provider; guide inputs and review outputs.
• Collaborate with Finance, Treasury and Tax to ensure compliance and timeliness.
• Support transition activities toward SuccessFactors; assist with system/process improvements.
• Prepare payroll and benefits reports; support audits and data checks.
• Maintain documentation and audit trails; drive process improvements and efficiency.

Skills

International payroll experience

Benefits program management

Stakeholder management

Detail-oriented

Multi-country deadline management

Ambiguity tolerance

Tools

SAP

SuccessFactors

Job description

The Payroll & Benefits Lead is responsible for the coordination and delivery of payroll and benefits across 9 countries, supporting a global employee population of approximately c.250 employees. Working closely with an outsourced benefits partner, this role will work to bring market competitive benefits to our employees. This role will also work closely with an outsourced payroll provider, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery. The role requires a hands‑on, detail‑oriented approach, with the ability to operate in a fast‑paced, evolving environment that combines manual and electronic processes with high volumes of (sometimes complex) activity.

What You’ll Do

Benefits

• Explore potential benefits that are market competitive in the regions, working with external providers and onboarding new providers with support from the Procurement and Legal teams.
• Implement processes for the management of global employee benefits programmes, including:
  • Enrolments, changes, and leavers
  • Liaison with external providers
• Act as a key contact for employee benefits queries Lead annual benefits processes (e.g., renewals, reviews, communications) working with Procurement, external providers and Finance Payroll
• Act as the primary internal point of contact for global payroll coordination across 9 countries
• Manage the end-to-end payroll cycle with outsourced provider, including:
  • Providing guidance to People Assistants for payroll inputs
  • Review of payroll outputs and reports
  • Close liaison with Finance, Treasury and Tax functions
• Ensure payroll is delivered accurately and on time in line with local requirements Resolve complex payroll queries from employees and stakeholders Maintain payroll records and documentation Provide absence cover for the UK Payroll & Benefits Lead Data & Systems
• Support transition activities towards SuccessFactors (experience beneficial but not essential)
• Prepare payroll and benefits reports as required
• Support audits and data checks
• Work within existing manual processes, ensuring consistency and accuracy
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and reduce inefficiencies
• Support the Payroll & Benefits Manager with ongoing system and process improvements
• Support compliance with local payroll and benefits regulations across multiple countries
• Ensure appropriate documentation and audit trails are maintained
• Assist with internal and external audits where required

Essential

• Previous experience in international benefits and payroll
• Experience working with outsourced providers
• Confidence in researching and proposing new benefits to stakeholders
• Strong experience of onboarding new suppliers, supported by legal and procurement teams
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Comfortable working with manual processes and high volumes of data or complex situations
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines across different countries
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills
• Good stakeholder communication and management skills

Desirable

• Exposure to global or multi-country payroll environments
• Basic understanding of payroll processes across different countries
• Exposure to Expatriation and related taxation issues
• Experience using SAP
• Exposure to SuccessFactors or similar HR systems

Personal Attributes

• Resilient and adaptable in a changing environment
• Hands‑on and proactive
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and evolving processes
• Team‑oriented with a collaborative approach
• Able to prioritise effectively under pressure

No restraints. No limitations. We don't simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath‑taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.

What We’ll Do for You

We offer a wide - ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days' holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice