Payroll Manager

Crown Holdings; Wantage; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Crown Holdings is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead our UK payroll operation across seven sites, supporting about 1,100 employees. You will head a team of Payroll Administrators and an Assistant Payroll Manager, ensuring accurate, compliant, timely payroll services while collaborating with HR, Finance and external providers.

You will be the payroll expert, driving continuous improvement, strengthening controls and delivering system enhancements across payroll processes, with a focus

Qualifications

• CIPP qualification or equivalent payroll experience.
• Significant in-house payroll operations experience in a medium to large organisation.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
• Experience leading payroll teams and coaching staff.
• Experience with payroll controls, reconciliations and audits.
• Experience working with integrated HR and payroll systems.
• Proven track record of payroll improvements and change initiatives.
• Desirable: manufacturing/multi-site experience and multi-site oversight.
• Experience with Cintra software is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of seven UK payrolls for ~1,100 employees.
• Manage end-to-end payroll operations including pensions, bonuses and year-end activities.
• Oversee payroll accounting activities, journals, reconciliations and control accounts.
• Ensure compliance with UK payroll legislation, HMRC and SOX controls.
• Act as payroll subject matter expert across the organisation.
• Lead payroll audits and manage relationships with auditors, HMRC and providers.
• Drive process improvements, system enhancements and automation.
• Develop and lead a high-performing payroll team with coaching and support.

Skills

In-house payroll management

UK payroll legislation

SOX controls

Auditing experience

Payroll systems integration

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Cintra

Job description

Job Description:Lead our UK Payroll FunctionWe're looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to lead the delivery of our UK payroll operation, supporting approximately 1,100 employees across seven manufacturing sites throughout the UK.This is an excellent opportunity to take ownership of a well-established payroll function, leading a team of Payroll Administrators and an Assistant Payroll Manager while ensuring the accurate, compliant and timely delivery of payroll services.Working closely with HR, Finance, site leadership teams and external providers, you'll act as the payroll expert for the business, driving operational excellence, strengthening controls and leading continuous improvement initiatives across payroll systems and processes.What You'll Be DoingLead the delivery of seven UK payrolls, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing for approximately 1,100 employees.Manage all aspects of end-to-end payroll operations, including pensions, statutory payments, bonuses, salary reviews and year-end activities.Oversee payroll accounting activities, including journals, reconciliations and control accounts.Ensure compliance with UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements and SOX controls.Act as the subject matter expert for payroll across the organisation.Lead payroll audits and manage relationships with auditors, HMRC and external providers.Drive payroll process improvements, system enhancements and automation initiatives.Develop and lead a high-performing payroll team, providing coaching, guidance and support.What We're Looking ForEssentialCIPP qualification or equivalent payroll experience.Significant experience managing in-house payroll operations within a medium to large organisation.Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.Experience leading and developing payroll teams.Strong understanding of payroll controls, reconciliations and audit requirements.Experience working with integrated HR and payroll systems.Proven track record of delivering payroll improvements and change initiatives.DesirableExperience within a manufacturing or multi-site environment.Experience overseeing multiple payrolls across different employee groups or sites.Experience with Cintra software.Personal QualitiesWe're looking for someone who is:Highly organised and detail focused.A confident leader who enjoys developing teams.Proactive and solutions oriented.Resilient under pressure and able to manage competing priorities.A strong communicator who can build effective relationships across HR, Finance and Operations.Professional, discreet and trusted to handle sensitive information.Why Join Us?This role offers the opportunity to lead a critical business function, influence payroll strategy and drive meaningful improvements across systems, processes and service delivery. If you're an experienced payroll professional looking for your next challenge within a complex, multi-site organisation, we'd love to hear from you.The job description is available on request.