Payroll Manager

Inspire; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Job summary

Inspire Wellbeing seeks an experienced Payroll Manager to lead and develop payroll services across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. You will drive operational payroll delivery while guiding a transition to a modern integrated HR and payroll platform.

You will manage a 3-person team, oversee weekly and monthly payrolls, and ensure compliance across jurisdictions. The role includes a go-live window for a new system and extensive cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• This role requires at least three years in a senior payroll role with staff management.
• Experience handling high-volume payrolls for 500+ employees.
• Experience supporting payroll system implementations, upgrades or migrations.
• Experience delivering payroll services across UK and ROI jurisdictions.
• Payroll qualification (CIPP/IPASS) is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Lead the weekly and monthly payrolls across NI and ROI.
• Manage and develop the payroll team, ensuring resilience and high standards.
• Oversee payroll controls, reconciliations, approvals and year-end processes.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, Irish Revenue, PAYE, NI, PRSI, USC and statutory requirements.
• Manage pension and auto-enrolment obligations across both jurisdictions.
• Provide expert advice on payroll matters including leave, sick pay, expenses, benefits and deductions.
• Support audits and maintain a strong payroll control framework.
• Lead the implementation and development of an integrated HR and payroll platform.
• Work closely with HR, Finance, ICT and external partners to improve systems and processes.

Skills

Team leadership

UK & ROI payroll knowledge

Process improvement

Stakeholder management

Education

Payroll qualification (CIPP/IPASS)

Tools

HRIS/Payroll system

Job description

Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (Hybrid / Flexible Working Model)

Help Shape the Future of Payroll at Inspire Wellbeing

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead and develop Inspire Wellbeing’s payroll service across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in our finance transformation journey, leading payroll operations while supporting the implementation of a modern integrated HR and payroll system.

About the Role

This is a high-impact, hybrid role combining steady-state operational leadership with enterprise-level systems transformation. Managing a team of 3 direct reports, you will oversee our dual-jurisdiction (UK & ROI), multi-frequency (weekly and monthly) payroll operations.

Simultaneously, you will act as the Payroll Lead for our transition to modern integrated HR, payroll and workforce management system, as well as consolidating our legacy payrolls and rolling out an integrated expense management system. With a target system go-live window of late 2027 / early 2028, you will have the autonomy to shape, test, and implement a gold-standard system architecture.

• Lead the accurate and timely delivery of weekly and monthly payrolls across NI and ROI.
• Manage and develop the payroll team, ensuring service resilience and high standards.
• Oversee payroll controls, reconciliations, approvals and year-end processes.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, Irish Revenue, PAYE, National Insurance, PRSI, USC and statutory requirements.
• Manage pension and auto-enrolment obligations across both jurisdictions.
• Provide expert advice on payroll matters including leave, sick pay, expenses, benefits and deductions.
• Support audits and maintain a strong payroll control framework.
• Lead the implementation and development of an integrated HR and payroll platform.
• Work closely with HR, Finance, ICT and external partners to improve systems and processes.

• Flexibility to work across various locations.
• Recognised payroll qualification (CIPP, IPASS or equivalent).
• Minimum three years’ experience in a senior payroll or payroll management role with staff management responsibility.
• Experience managing complex, high-volume payrolls for 500+ employees.
• Experience supporting payroll system implementations, upgrades or migrations.
• Experience delivering payroll services across both UK and ROI jurisdictions.
• Experience administering pension arrangements and auto-enrolment requirements.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management and communication skills.

Join a mission-driven organisation making a real difference in mental health and wellbeing.

Supportive team environment with opportunities for professional development.

Competitive salary and benefits package.

Comprehensive induction and ongoing training.

Following the interviews a waiting list will be created for similar posts for a nine month period.

Inspire is committed to equality of opportunity and to selection based on merit