Payroll Assistant Manager

JGA Recruitment; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

JGA Recruitment Group Ltd is seeking a Payroll Assistant Manager in Aberdeen on a permanent hybrid basis. You will oversee complex client payrolls, manage the payroll team, and act as a senior point of contact for payroll issues.

Ideal candidate has bureau payroll experience, STAR experience, BrightPay, UK payroll legislation knowledge, and strong leadership. The role offers client-facing responsibility and opportunities to develop team performance.

Qualifications

• Experienced bureau payroll professional with strong knowledge of client payroll delivery.
• Ability to manage workload and develop junior staff.
• Solid understanding of UK payroll legislation and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery of complex client payrolls to ensure deadlines and accuracy.
• Manage day-to-day running of the payroll team and allocate workloads.
• Act as senior point of contact for complex payroll issues and provide solutions.
• Deliver training and update processes as required for legislation changes.
• Coach team members and provide technical guidance.
• Handle multiple client assignments within timescales and budgets.
• Build strong client relationships and advise on payroll matters.
• Oversee payroll systems and resolve software issues with providers.
• Maintain client procedures and payroll documentation.
• Identify improvements to processes, efficiency and service.
• Support business development and marketing initiatives.

Skills

UK payroll knowledge

Team leadership

Client relationship management

STAR method

Tools

BrightPay

Job description

Payroll Assistant Manager

Salary: Up to £40,000
Location: Aberdeen, with Glasgow considered for the right candidate
Working Pattern: Hybrid - ideally 3 days office / 2 days home
Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery of complex client payrolls, ensuring deadlines, accuracy and service standards are consistently met
• Take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the payroll team, allocating workloads and supporting team performance
• Act as a senior point of contact for complex payroll issues, providing solutions and escalating where appropriate
• Keep the team informed of legislative and technical changes, delivering training and updating processes when required
• Review payroll work and provide coaching, feedback and technical guidance to team members
• Manage multiple client assignments simultaneously, ensuring work is delivered within agreed timescales and budgets
• Build strong relationships with clients and become a trusted advisor on payroll matters
• Oversee payroll systems and resolve software-related issues, working with providers where necessary
• Maintain accurate client procedures and payroll documentation
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiency and client service
• Support wider commercial activity, including networking, client development and marketing initiatives

Ideal Candidate

• Experienced bureau payroll professional with strong knowledge of client payroll delivery
• STAR experience is essential, with BrightPay experience highly desirable
• Previous experience in a senior payroll, supervisory or assistant management position
• Confident managing a team, allocating workloads and supporting the development of junior payroll professionals
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, compliance and industry best practice
• Comfortable dealing with complex payroll queries and technical challenges
• Proven ability to manage a portfolio of clients while working to demanding deadlines
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with confidence dealing directly with clients
• Highly organised, commercially aware and able to manage multiple priorities
• A proactive problem-solver who enjoys finding ways to improve processes and team performance

An excellent opportunity for an experienced bureau payroll professional ready to step into a broader leadership role, combining technical payroll expertise with team management and client responsibility.

JGA Recruitment Group Ltd ("We") are committed to equality of opportunity for all applications regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. We strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply. We are also committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We are a specialist payroll, HR & Reward recruitment agency and recruitment business as defined in the Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (our business). These statements together with our privacy notices set out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us