Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Ashley Kate HR & Finance; Cannock; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashley Kate HR & Finance is recruiting on behalf of a client for an experienced Pay & Benefits Specialist to support payroll and benefits operations across multiple European countries. You will own payroll coordination, benefits administration, compliance, and stakeholder management within a growing international organisation.

The role focuses on main contacts for payroll queries, coordinating with external providers, maintaining records, and driving process improvements while ensuring accuracy

Qualifications

• 3+ years' experience managing payroll and benefits operations.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and taxes.
• Experience with HRIS platforms and payroll systems.

Responsibilities

• Act as main contact for payroll and benefits queries across European locations.
• Coordinate payroll processing with external providers and internal teams.
• Manage employee payroll and benefits through onboarding to leavers.
• Maintain accurate employee records in HR and payroll systems.
• Administer benefit schemes, enrolments, deductions, and reconciliations.
• Monitor leave and statutory entitlement records for compliance.
• Produce payroll and benefits reports and audit-ready docs.
• Build relationships with payroll vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Identify and implement process improvements for efficiency and compliance.

Skills

Payroll & Benefits Operations

UK Payroll Legislation

Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP)

Analytical & Reconciliation

Stakeholder Management

Multi-country Payroll

Tools

HRIS platforms

Payroll systems

Workday

SAP HCM

Job description

We are recruiting on behalf of our client for an experienced Pay & Benefits Specialist to support payroll and employee benefits operations across multiple European countries. This is a fantastic opportunity for a proactive and detail-oriented professional to take ownership of payroll coordination, benefits administration, compliance, and stakeholder management within a growing international organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the main point of contact for payroll and benefits queries across multiple European locations.
• Coordinate payroll processing with external payroll providers and internal finance, HR, and shared services teams.
• Manage employee payroll and benefits administration throughout the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, contractual changes, and leavers.
• Ensure employee records are maintained accurately across HR and payroll systems.
• Administer benefit schemes, including enrolments, amendments, deductions, and reconciliations.
• Monitor leave, absence, and statutory entitlement records, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Produce payroll and benefits reports, reconciliations, and audit-ready documentation.
• Build strong relationships with payroll vendors, benefits providers, and internal stakeholders.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, compliance, and employee experience.

About You

• At least 3 years' experience managing payroll and employee benefits operations.
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, employment taxes, and statutory processes.
• Experience working with payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and advanced Excel functions including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUPs.
• Excellent analytical, reconciliation, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organisational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Confident communicator with the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of key processes.
• Experience supporting international or multi-country payroll operations.
• Knowledge of employee benefits administration within a multinational environment.
• Experience with payroll audits and compliance reviews.

This role would suit an experienced payroll and benefits professional looking to play a key role in a growing international organisation while driving operational excellence, compliance, and employee experience.