Payroll Manager

JGA Recruitment Group | B Corp™; Sefton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

JGA Recruitment Group Ltd in Bootle, Liverpool is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to own the end-to-end payroll function across multiple sites for ~300 staff. This standalone role reports to the Finance Director and focuses on process improvements and automation with the newly implemented payroll systems.

You will deliver accurate monthly payroll, handle complex pay elements, ensure HMRC compliance and partner with HR on lifecycle events, while driving efficiencies and robust controls

Qualifications

• End-to-end UK payroll experience with 200–500+ employees.
• Experience handling complex payroll elements including commissions and bonuses.
• Payroll process improvement and automation experience — essential.
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements and pensions.
• Advanced Excel skills (lookups, data validation, imports).
• Sage People / Sage People Payroll experience desirable; other systems considered.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end monthly payroll for ~300 employees across multiple locations.
• Process complex pay elements, including commission, bonuses, overtime, and salary sacrifice.
• Manage statutory payments, pensions, auto-enrolment and HMRC submissions.
• Complete payroll reconciliations, journals and reporting for the Finance Director.
• Drive payroll process improvements and automation, reducing manual processing.
• Develop and optimise payroll imports, templates and system integrations.
• Support automated BACS payments and payroll-to-finance system processes.
• Establish robust payroll controls, procedures and reporting.
• Work closely with HR on starters, leavers and payroll data.
• Act as the main contact for employee and management payroll queries.

Skills

End-to-end UK payroll

UK payroll legislation

Payroll automation

Advanced Excel

Sage People Payroll

BACS automation

Multi-site experience

Stakeholder management

Tools

Sage People Payroll

Payroll system integrations

Job description

Location: Bootle, Liverpool - Fully Onsite

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Payroll Volume: Approximately 300 employees across multiple sites

The Role

An exciting opportunity for an experienced Payroll Manager to take full ownership of the payroll function within an established, multi-site business.

This is a newly created, standalone position, reporting directly to the Finance Director and managing end-to-end payroll for approximately 300 employees.

Alongside hands-on payroll delivery, you'll play a key role in improving processes, introducing automation and maximising the use of recently implemented payroll systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end monthly payroll for approximately 300 employees across multiple locations.
• Process complex pay elements, including commission, bonuses, overtime, shift premiums and salary sacrifice.
• Manage statutory payments, pensions, auto-enrolment and HMRC submissions.
• Complete payroll reconciliations, journals and reporting for the Finance Director.
• Drive payroll process improvements and automation, reducing manual processing.
• Develop and optimise payroll imports, templates and system integrations.
• Support automated BACS payments and payroll-to-finance system processes.
• Establish robust payroll controls, procedures and reporting.
• Work closely with HR on starters, leavers, contractual changes and payroll data.
• Act as the main point of contact for employee and management payroll queries.

Ideal Candidate

• Strong end-to-end UK payroll experience, ideally managing payrolls of 200-500+ employees.
• Proven experience handling complex payroll elements, including commission, bonuses and overtime.
• Demonstrable payroll process improvement and automation experience - essential.
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements and pensions.
• Advanced Excel skills, including lookups, data validation and payroll imports.
• Sage People / Sage People Payroll experience highly desirable, although similar systems will be considered.
• Experience with BACS automation and system integrations advantageous.
• Multi-site or automotive industry experience beneficial.
• Proactive, independent and confident working directly with senior stakeholders.

JGA Recruitment Group Ltd ("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. We are also committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We are a specialist payroll, HR & Reward recruitment agency and recruitment business as defined in the Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (our business). These statements together with our privacy notices set out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us.