Payroll Lead

Cedar; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedar in London is seeking a Payroll Lead to own the payroll function and scale it for growth. This is a hands-on leadership role, managing day-to-day payroll while shaping processes, systems and a team around it.

You will oversee end-to-end payroll for a multi-site workforce, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery, and drive compliance with HMRC and payroll legislation. The role collaborates with Finance and HR to forecast and report headcount and financials.

Qualifications

• Substantial UK payroll experience in consumer/retail/high-volume workforce
• Demonstrated leadership or readiness to lead
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation (auto-enrolment, RTI)
• Experience implementing or optimising payroll systems
• Detail-oriented with data and reconciliations

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll for a multi-site workforce with timely delivery
• Manage PAYE, NI, pensions, benefits, expenses, starters/leavers, year-end reporting
• Build and lead a payroll team and hire as it grows
• Review/payroll systems, controls, automation, and HR/finance integration
• Ensure HMRC compliance and manage audits
• Partner with Finance/HR on headcount reporting and month-end tasks
• Serve as escalation point for payroll queries and external providers

Job description

Salary: £100,000- £110,000 plus bonus and benefits

Location: London, hybrid

About the role

Payroll Lead - London (Hybrid)

Salary: £100,000- £110,000 plus bonus and benefits

Location: London, hybrid

We're a fast-growing London consumer business with a loyal customer base and a team that cares about getting things right. As we scale, payroll needs to scale with us. We're looking for a Payroll Lead to take ownership of the function and build it into something robust, efficient and ready for the next stage of growth.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You'll run payroll day to day, then shape the processes, systems and team around it. You'll start as the expert in the room and, over time, hire and develop a team beneath you.

What you'll do

• Own end-to-end payroll for a growing, multi-site workforce, ensuring accurate and timely delivery every cycle
• Manage the full range of statutory and operational payroll: PAYE, NI, pensions, benefits, expenses, starters and leavers, statutory pay, and year-end reporting
• Build and lead a payroll team, setting out the structure, making the first hires and coaching the team as it grows
• Review and improve payroll systems, controls and processes, including automation and integration with HR and finance systems
• Make sure the business stays compliant with HMRC and wider employment legislation, and manage audits
• Partner with Finance, HR and the wider business on headcount reporting, forecasting, month-end journals and reconciliations
• Act as the point of escalation for payroll queries and build a service colleagues trust
• Manage relationships with external providers, pension administrators and advisers

What we're looking for

• Substantial UK payroll experience, ideally in a consumer, retail, hospitality or similarly high-volume, varied-workforce environment
• Experience managing payroll end to end, with demonstrable leadership experience or a clear readiness to step into it
• Strong technical knowledge of UK payroll legislation, including auto-enrolment, statutory payments and RTI
• Experience implementing or optimising payroll systems (e.g. ADP, Iris, Sage, Ceridian/Dayforce or similar)
• Comfort with data and reconciliations, and a sharp eye for detail
• A practical, improvement-minded approach and the confidence to challenge and influence senior stakeholders
• CIPP qualification or equivalent is desirable but not essential