Payroll Manager

James Gray Associates; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

James Gray Associates is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead a high-volume monthly payroll in Birmingham. This 9-month FTC hybrid role oversees a small team, ensures timely payment of employees and pensioners, and drives payroll system improvements.

You will ensure compliance with UK PAYE, NI, pensions and statutory payments while managing month-end processes, audits and year-end activities. Look for opportunities to automate and streamline processes for efficiency.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years' experience managing a medium-to-large UK payroll.
• Experience in a high-volume payroll environment.
• Solid knowledge of PAYE, NI, SSP, SMP, SPP and pensions.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of a large, high-volume monthly payroll, ensuring accurate and timely payment of employees and pensioners.
• Lead and support a team of around 3 payroll professionals, overseeing workload, performance and development.
• Manage payroll systems, including system improvements, upgrades and development.
• Ensure payroll remains compliant with UK legislation, PAYE, National Insurance, pensions and statutory payments.
• Oversee month-end processes, reconciliations, payroll journals and gross-to-net reporting.
• Monitor and resolve underpayments, overpayments and payroll discrepancies.
• Maintain robust payroll procedures, controls and audit processes.
• Work closely with internal teams, employees and external providers to resolve payroll queries and issues.
• Support year-end activities and internal/external audits, ensuring deadlines are met.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes through automation, systems development and continuous improvement.

Skills

Payroll management

High-volume payroll

PAYE/NI

Excel

iTrent

Oracle

Automation

SOPs/compliance

Stakeholder comms

Tools

Excel

iTrent

Oracle

Job description

Payroll Manager - 9 Month FTC

Salary: £44,700

Location: Birmingham

Working Pattern: Hybrid - 4 days office / 1 day home

Contract: 9 Month FTC

Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of a large, high-volume monthly payroll, ensuring accurate and timely payment of employees and pensioners
• Lead and support a team of around 3 payroll professionals, overseeing workload, performance and development
• Manage payroll systems, including system improvements, upgrades and development
• Ensure payroll remains compliant with UK legislation, PAYE, National Insurance, pensions and statutory payments
• Oversee month-end processes, reconciliations, payroll journals and gross-to-net reporting
• Monitor and resolve underpayments, overpayments and payroll discrepancies
• Maintain robust payroll procedures, controls and audit processes
• Work closely with internal teams, employees and external providers to resolve payroll queries and issues
• Support year-end activities and internal/external audits, ensuring deadlines are met
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes through automation, systems development and continuous improvement

Ideal Candidate

• At least 3 years' experience managing a medium-to-large UK payroll
• Strong experience working within a high-volume payroll environment
• Solid technical knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, SSP, SMP, SPP and pensions
• Experience managing or supervising a small payroll team
• Confident using payroll systems, with iTrent or similar experience highly desirable
• Strong Excel skills and comfortable working with large datasets and complex payroll information
• Ideally has experience with Oracle, system implementation or payroll system upgrades
• Technically minded with an interest in automation and improving payroll processes
• Strong understanding of SOPs, controls, compliance and audit requirements
• Excellent communicator who can confidently work with a wide range of stakeholders
• Highly accurate, organised and comfortable working under pressure in a fast-paced payroll environment
• Must demonstrate a high level of confidentiality, integrity and professionalism

A great opportunity for an experienced Payroll Manager to join a large, high-volume payroll function on a 9-month FTC, with the chance to make an immediate impact across systems, processes and team management.

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.