Payroll and Benefits Team Leader

Financial Conduct Authority; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading regulatory body in the UK is looking for a Payroll & Flexible Benefits Team Leader. This fixed-term contract role will oversee payroll operations and flexible benefits for approximately 5000 employees. The successful candidate will lead a small team, ensuring the integrity and efficiency of payroll processes while managing compliance and vendor relationships.

Benefits

25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays

Hybrid working up to 60%

Private healthcare with Bupa

Non-contributory Pension of at least 8%

Life assurance of eight times basic salary

Income protection

Qualifications

• In-depth and up to date UK payroll, pensions, and benefits experience.
• People management experience within a payroll team.
• Experience of developing and updating effective management information.

Responsibilities

• Oversee key business-critical contracts, including payroll providers.
• Manage payroll, flexible benefits budgeting, and ensure financial accuracy.
• Lead the annual benefits renewal process and compliance.

Skills

UK Payroll experience

Pensions management

Benefits administration

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

JR0018313 - Payroll & Flexible Benefits Team Leader

Fixed Term Contract until January 2027

Salary - National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £49,600 to £66,133.33 and London £54,500 to £73,566.67 per annum (Salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

About the FCA

The FCA regulates the conduct of 45,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. Follow this link to find out more About the FCA .

Reporting to the Senior Manager in the HR Delivery Team, the payroll and flexible benefits team leader leads a team of 2 responsible for the accurate and timely delivery of our monthly payroll and pensions administration to circa 5000 employees. The team leader also manages the FCA/PSR’s flexible benefits offering.

What will you be doing?

• Contract & Supplier Management – Oversee key business-critical contracts, including payroll providers and benefits administrators, ensuring effective procurement and supplier relationship management.

• Payroll & Benefits Oversight – Manage payroll, flexible benefits budgeting, forecasting, and invoicing in collaboration with Finance, ensuring financial accuracy.

• Benefits Strategy & Renewal – Develop and implement the flexible benefits strategy, engaging with HR and business stakeholders, and leading the annual benefits renewal process.

• Compliance & Risk Management – Establish documented business processes, implement controls to reduce risks, and work closely with Internal Audit to ensure payroll and pension administration integrity.

• Operational Excellence & Reporting – Ensure timely payroll and pension processing, accurate data transfers with outsourced providers, and produce management reports for oversight.

• Team Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement – Manage a small team, liaise with HMRC on tax matters, resolve escalated payroll issues, and provide technical expertise on complex payroll topics.

What will you get from the role?

• Exposure to senior stakeholders within the business

• Contribute to business contracts and processes

• Opportunity to contribute to varied work spanning the whole of the FCA, developing a range of skills

Which skills are required?

We are a Disability Confident Employer; therefore, disabled people or individuals with long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here)

Minimum

• In-depth and up to date UK payroll, pensions and benefits experience

• People management experience within a payroll team

• Process improvement and payroll project experience

Essential

• Significant previous experience processing high-volume monthly payrolls

• A good understanding of UK PAYE legislation

• Ability to calculate deductions such as overpayments, maternity payments, sickness payments, Tax and National Insurance

• Experience of developing and updating effective management information

• Ability to carry out pay period and year end processes essential for statutory and other returns, ensuring deductions are reconciled, and all 3rd party payments are reconciled

• Experience of engaging effectively with stakeholders at all levels across a complex organisation

Our Values & Diversity

We are proud to be an inclusive employer and our ambition is to cultivate a culture for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation.

Within the workplace you will have access to various employee resource groups which aim to promote and achieve a healthy work / life balance and support our diversity ambitions.

Did you know? 50% of our Executive Committee were the first in their family to attend university.

Benefits of working at the FCA

• 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays

• Hybrid working (work from home up to 60% of your time)

• Private healthcare with Bupa

• A non-contributory Pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month (there are several contribution levels that increase depending on your age – up to 12% a month once you reach age 35)

• Life assurance of eight times your basic salary

• Income protection

We also have a competitive flexible benefits scheme which gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifestyle.

We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements. Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours, and job shares. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we can explore what might work best for both sides.

Follow this link to see what life is like at the FCA - Life at the FCA

Application Support

We are dedicated to removing barriers and ensuring our application process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition requiring changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter using the details below and they will be happy to discuss this further with you.

Useful Information and Timeline

• This role is graded as Lead Associate - Corporate

• Advert Closing Date:Sunday 22nd June at 23:59pm

• CV Review/Shortlist: Tuesday 25th June

• First Round Case Study Assessment: W/C 30th June

• Competency Based Interview: W/C 7th July

Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.

Got a question?

If you are interested in learning more about the role, please contact: [e-mail]

Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.