Payroll Manager

SF Partners; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

SF Partners is recruiting an experienced Payroll Manager in Nottingham to take ownership of a busy payroll function. You will manage weekly and monthly payrolls, lead a small payroll team and work closely with HR and Finance to ensure accurate, compliant payroll services.

The ideal candidate has significant end-to-end payroll experience, strong UK payroll knowledge, and a proactive approach to process improvements. CIPP qualification is advantageous.

Qualifications

• End-to-end payroll experience in a busy or complex environment.
• Experience supervising a payroll team.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• Proven payroll reconciliations and reporting experience.
• Experience with a recognised payroll system and advanced Excel.
• A CIPP qualification or equivalent is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end processing of weekly and monthly payrolls.
• Lead, support and develop the payroll team, including workload allocation and training.
• Ensure compliance with PAYE, NI, pensions, statutory payments and holiday pay.
• Manage RTI submissions, pension uploads and year-end payroll processes.
• Complete and review payroll reconciliations, including pension contributions and HMRC liabilities.
• Review payroll exceptions, variances and high-risk changes before sign-off.
• Collaborate with HR and Finance to ensure accurate payroll data.
• Produce regular payroll reports and analysis for senior stakeholders.
• Handle complex payroll queries and escalations.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and proper controls.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
• Support wider payroll projects and system improvements.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Team supervision

UK payroll legislation

Payroll reconciliations

Payroll system

Excel skills

CIPP qualification

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Payroll system

Job description

Payroll Manager - Nottingham

Permanent | Full Time | Nottingham

SF Partners are currently recruiting for an experienced Payroll Manager to join a well‑established Nottingham-based organisation on a permanent, full‑time basis.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll professional to take ownership of a busy and complex payroll function, managing both weekly and monthly payrolls while leading and developing a small payroll team.

The successful candidate will be a hands‑on Payroll Manager with strong technical payroll knowledge who can ensure an accurate, compliant and efficient payroll service while also identifying opportunities to improve processes and ways of working.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the end‑to‑end processing of weekly and monthly payrolls, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time.
• Lead, support and develop the payroll team, including workload allocation, training and performance management.
• Ensure compliance with current payroll legislation including PAYE, NI, pensions, statutory payments and holiday pay.
• Manage RTI submissions, pension uploads and year‑end payroll processes.
• Complete and review payroll reconciliations, including pension contributions, HMRC liabilities and payroll control accounts.
• Review payroll exceptions, variances and higher‑risk changes prior to payroll sign‑off.
• Work closely with HR and Finance to ensure employee information and payroll data is accurate.
• Produce regular payroll reports and analysis for senior stakeholders.
• Manage and resolve more complex payroll queries and escalations.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and ensure appropriate controls and procedures are followed.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve the overall efficiency of the payroll function.
• Support wider payroll projects and system improvements where required.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Significant end‑to‑end payroll experience, ideally within a busy or complex organisation.
• Previous experience managing or supervising a payroll team.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• Strong payroll reconciliation and reporting experience.
• Experience using a recognised payroll system.
• Strong Excel skills and excellent attention to detail.
• A CIPP qualification or equivalent would be highly advantageous.
• A confident and professional communication style with the ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• A proactive approach with the ability to identify and implement process improvements.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Payroll Manager looking to join a successful organisation where they can take real ownership of the payroll function, develop their team and have an impact on how payroll processes are delivered.