Payroll and Finance Specialist – 12mth FTC

Focus Management Consultants; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturing company is seeking a Payroll and Finance Specialist for a 12-month fixed term contract. This vital role involves overseeing payroll processing, HR data analysis, and compliance with regulations. Strong experience in payroll systems and UK legislation is essential. This position offers competitive pay, hybrid working options, and additional benefits including private medical cover.

Benefits

25 days holiday

Private medical cover after probation

Qualifications

• Proven experience in payroll processing, preferably in a medium-sized manufacturing setting.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Verify and process employee time data and payroll submissions.
• Collate and analyze HR data for reporting.
• Reconcile payroll and bank accounts monthly.

Skills

Payroll processing

Data analysis

Microsoft Excel

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

CIPP qualified/AAT or equivalent

Tools

Sage

ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle)

Job description

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Payroll and Finance Specialist – 12mth FTC

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Client:

Focus Management Consultants

Location:

United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

6776702ad357

Job Views:

17

Posted:

12.08.2025

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Job Description:

My client is a leading food manufacturing company with over 4, employees across multiple production sites around the world. They are looking to recruit a Finance and Payroll Specialist on a 12 month fixed term contract to start asap.

The role is paying £40-45k dependant on experience and comes with 25 days holiday + B/H, Private medical cover after passing probation.

The role will be site based, three days a week, two days working from home, except when it is payroll week, where you will need to do four days in the office and one from home.

This role is critical in ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing utilising information from a paper-based clock card system, which is transitioning to a digital Time and Attendance system.

Reporting into the UK&I Head of Finance you will collaborate closely with HR, Finance and the outsourced payroll provider. This role while also support broader financial operations.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing

• Verify and process monthly paid employee time data, including relevant submissions to Payroll Bureau, HMRC, Pension provider etc.
• Accurately calculate holiday pay, sick pay, pension contributions, benefit in kind, EV salary sacrifice and other wage-related adjustments.
• Support HR with responding to employee payroll queries in a timely and professional manner.
• Maintain confidentiality of payroll information and adhere to data protection policies.
• Ensure accurate life assurance submissions

HR Data Support

• Collate and analyse HR data including headcount, turnover, time-to-hire, performance, compensation.
• Develop reports for HR and senior leadership using tools like Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint

Finance Support

• Reconcile payroll and bank accounts monthly.
• Support month-end and year-end financial closing activities.
• Prepare payroll reports and summaries for internal and external stakeholders as required, including monthly Staff Reports
• Maintain accurate financial records, both digital and paper-based – including maintenance of the balance sheet and reconciliation of all payroll control accounts on an appropriate basis.
• Dissemination of Payroll data for Capital Projects and Inter Company Recharges
• Collaborate with department managers to prepare the annual manpower budget and regularly monitor actual spend against approved budget, supporting the managers within the company on financial issues.
• Any other reasonable request as required by the UK&I Heads of Finance or HR

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure payroll processes comply with HMRC regulations and employment laws.
• Submit RTI (Real Time Information) and pension contributions.
• Managing the year end audit process for payroll and liaising with the auditors to resolve queries.

To apply you will need to have

• Proven experience in payroll processing, preferably in a medium sized, multi-site manufacturing or industrial setting.
• Experience working with manual/paper-based timekeeping systems and T&A systems.
• Experience working with Sage, or a similar ERP / accounting software
• Experience of working with external auditors and other professional advisors
• Able to identify and implement improvements to payroll processes
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements and Pensions.
• Advanced proficiency in the use of Microsoft Excel.
• Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Strong organisational and communication skills in order to meet strict deadlines
• Ability to handle confidential information with integrity.
• Exposure to system implementations, particularly Workday, would be highly advantageous
• Self-starter, able to work autonomously to deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

• CIPP qualified/AAT or equivalent finance qualification (or working towards).
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle)
• Understanding of manufacturing finance operations.

So if you are a detail-oriented Payroll and Finance Specialist looking to work in a busy manufacturing environment, this is the role for you.