Payroll Manager

MJ Church Ltd; Chippenham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday Buy and Sell Scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free parking

Health and wellbeing support

Discounted events tickets

Job summary

MJ Church Ltd is seeking a proactive Payroll Manager to oversee end-to-end monthly payroll for three legal entities, with oversight of a Payroll Administrator. The role ensures HMRC compliance, pension auto-enrolment, and accurate payroll reporting across three entities.

Part-time (30 hours) or full-time (37.5 hours) can be offered, with a salary in the £45,000–£50,000 per year range. The role emphasizes accuracy, timeliness, and strong stakeholder communication.

Qualifications

• Payroll qualification or equivalent experience required.
• Significant end-to-end payroll processing experience.
• Experience with manual payroll calculations.
• Experience in payroll reporting, costing, reconciliations, and audits.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Thorough knowledge of UK payroll legislation (HMRC, PAYE, NI).

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end monthly payroll for three entities including pensions.
• Oversee the weekly payroll processed by the Payroll Administrator.
• Line manage the Payroll Administrator and set performance standards.
• Perform manual payroll calculations and adjustments as needed.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, pension auto-enrolment, and payroll legislation.
• Lead payroll reporting, costings, reconciliations, and audit support.
• Coordinate year-end processes (P60s and related submissions).

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Manual payroll processing

Payroll reporting

Costing & reconciliations

HMRC knowledge

Leadership

Education

Payroll qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

Evolution M

Job description

£45,000-£50,000 per year, full-time equivalent (FTE)

• Job Type

Permanent

Part-time (30 hours) or full-time (37.5 hours)

MJ Church is a leading Civil Engineering and Earthworks contractor operating across England. We deliver projects valued between £100,000 and £60 million for public and private sector clients across diverse industries. Alongside our core construction services, we have a growing waste management business expanding across the Southwest and Wales.

Joining MJ Church offers an exciting and challenging opportunity for driven individuals seeking professional and personal growth in a dynamic, results-focused environment.

The Role

We're looking for a proactive Payroll Manager to support our growing business. The Payroll Manager is responsible for the accurate, timely and compliant end-to-end processing of monthly payroll across three legal entities, together with oversight of the weekly payroll processed by the Payroll Administrator.

The postholder will lead the payroll function, line manage the Payroll Administrator, ensure compliance with HMRC and pension requirements, undertake manual payroll calculations where required, and provide payroll-related finance reporting, costings and audit support.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the end-to-end monthly payroll for three legal entities, including pensions and all associated payroll processes, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time.
• Oversee the weekly payroll processed by the Payroll Administrator, providing guidance, review and sign-off to ensure accuracy, compliance and timely completion.
• Line manage the Payroll Administrator, including allocating work, providing training and support, setting standards and monitoring performance.
• Process payrolls and undertake manual calculations confidently and accurately, including adjustments, statutory payments, deductions and reconciliations where required.
• Ensure payroll operations comply with all relevant HMRC requirements, PAYE, National Insurance, pension auto-enrolment and payroll legislation, keeping up to date with changes in taxation and statutory requirements including statutory minimum payments.
• Lead on payroll-related finance matters, including payroll reporting, costings, reconciliations and providing accurate data to support financial control and decision-making.
• Support internal and external audits. Liaise with external auditors during the year-end audit, preparing and providing payroll-related information, reconciliations, analysis and supporting documentation, and responding to audit queries in a timely and professional manner.
• Maintain accurate payroll records for starters, leavers, contractual changes, sickness, family leave, deductions and pension changes, ensuring robust controls and data integrity.
• Experience of Evolution M is advantageous.
• Review and improve payroll processes, controls and working practices to enhance efficiency, accuracy and compliance.
• Act as the main point of contact for complex payroll queries from employees, managers, HMRC and pension providers.
• Lead payroll year-end activities, including P60s, reconciliation of annual balances and support for any related submissions or reporting requirements.

Who You Are

You're a Payroll professional with experience of managing multiple payrolls. You're approachable, solutions-focused, and confident advising employees at all levels regarding matters of pay. You have a good understanding of HMRC and payroll legislation. You are confident in analysing payroll data and reconciling costs.

Key Skills

• Payroll qualification or equivalent experience.
• Significant end-to-end payroll processing.
• Experience of manual payroll processing and undertaking manual payroll calculations.
• Experience of payroll reporting, costing, reconcilliations and supporting audit requests.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Thorough knowledge of UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments and pension processes.
• Demonstrable experience of pro-actively leading a payroll function.
• Holiday Buy and Sell Scheme.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Free parking.
• Health and wellbeing support.
• Discounted events tickets.

This role can be offered on a part-time basis (30 hours) or full-time (37.5 hours), working Monday to Friday.