Payroll Manager

We Do Group; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

We Do Group in Guildford is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to own the end-to-end payroll for a large multi-entity workforce. You’ll work closely with Finance and HR, ensuring accurate, on-time payroll while strengthening controls and driving process improvements.

The role is hybrid (3 days on-site) with responsibility for mentoring a Payroll & Benefits Administrator and supporting system enhancements to payroll processes and automation.

Qualifications

• Proven experience owning end-to-end payroll in a medium to large organisation.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, PAYE, pensions, statutory payments and payroll compliance.
• Experience managing payroll for a large and potentially complex employee population.
• Strong reconciliation skills with experience reviewing payroll journals and supporting month-end.
• Excellent Excel skills with large datasets, Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP.
• Experience with payroll and finance systems, with SAP Concur, Opera or similar beneficial.
• Previous experience mentoring junior payroll team members.
• Highly organised with ability to manage strict monthly deadlines.
• Attention to detail and ability to handle confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end monthly payroll process for a workforce of 1,000+ employees across multiple legal entities.
• Review inputs such as salary changes, overtime, bonuses, expenses, benefits, pensions and deductions.
• Ensure payroll compliance with HMRC legislation and internal controls; reconcile journals and statutory payments.
• Collaborate with Finance on journals, reconciliations and monthly reporting.
• Support a Payroll & Benefits Administrator and guide quality assurance.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes and controls; support system enhancements.

Skills

End-to-end payroll ownership

UK payroll legislation

Payroll for large workforce

Payroll reconciliation

Excel advanced (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP,

Payroll systems: SAP Concur, Opera

Mentoring junior staff

Attention to detail

Confidential data handling

Proactive/process improvement

Education

CIPP qualification

Finance/Accounting degree

Tools

SAP Concur

Opera

Job description

Guildford – Hybrid Working (3 Days On-Site)

We're supporting a well-established property business that is looking to appoint an experienced Payroll Manager to take ownership of its payroll function.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced payroll professional to lead the end-to-end payroll process for a large, multi-entity workforce while improving processes, strengthening controls and helping shape the payroll function for the future.

The Role

Reporting into the leadership team, you'll have full ownership of the monthly payroll cycle from start to finish, working closely with Finance, HR and external providers to ensure payroll is delivered accurately and on time.

This is a hands‑on role where you'll remain close to the detail while also supporting a junior team member, improving processes and ensuring strong controls are maintained across payroll, benefits and expenses.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end monthly payroll process for a workforce of over 1,000 employees across multiple legal entities
• Review and validate payroll inputs including salary changes, overtime, bonuses, expenses, benefits, pensions and statutory deductions
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately and in line with HMRC legislation, pension regulations and internal controls
• Reconcile payroll journals, control accounts, pensions and statutory payments as part of the month-end process
• Work closely with Finance on payroll journals, reconciliations and monthly reporting requirements
• Investigate and resolve payroll queries, discrepancies and more complex employee issues
• Review and approve employee expenses, ensuring compliance with internal policies
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls and ways of working
• Support future payroll system enhancements and automation initiatives
• Coach and support a Payroll & Benefits Administrator, providing guidance and quality assurance
• Build strong working relationships across HR and Finance as well as with external payroll and benefits providers
• Ensure payroll records, documentation and employee data remain accurate, compliant and confidential

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience owning end-to-end payroll within a medium to large organisation
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, PAYE, pensions, statutory payments and payroll compliance
• Experience managing payroll for a large and potentially complex employee population
• Strong reconciliation skills with experience reviewing payroll journals and supporting month-end
• Excellent Excel skills, including experience working with large datasets, Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP
• Experience with payroll, expenses and finance systems, with SAP Concur, Opera or similar beneficial
• Previous experience supporting or mentoring junior payroll team members
• Highly organised with the ability to manage strict monthly deadlines
• Strong attention to detail and comfortable handling confidential information
• CIPP qualification or equivalent would be advantageous
• A proactive, hands‑on approach with an interest in improving processes and systems

Why Join?

This is a fantastic opportunity to take genuine ownership of a sizeable payroll function within a well-established organisation. You'll have the autonomy to improve processes and controls, support future system development and play a key role across both Finance and HR.