Payroll Manager, EMEA

Light & Wonder; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual performance bonus

25 days' holiday + bank holidays

Private Medical Insurance

Employer pension contributions (up to

Job summary

Light & Wonder in Manchester leads payroll operations across a complex EMEA landscape, delivering accurate payroll for 1,000 employees across 15 countries. You’ll partner with Finance, ICPs, and external providers to ensure timely, compliant payroll, while driving process improvements and stakeholder value.

This role requires deep multi-country payroll expertise, strong governance, and leadership of a cross-functional team in a fast-paced, international setting.

Qualifications

• Significant payroll management experience across multiple European countries.
• Experience with complex, multi-entity international organisations.
• Proven ability to oversee payroll delivery across countries, entities and employment models in EMEA.
• Experience with outsourced payroll providers (ADP Celergo) and ICP coordination.
• Strong knowledge of UK/European payroll legislation and compliance.
• Experience with RSU processing and pension administration.
• Excellent stakeholder communication and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end monthly payroll across 15 European countries including the UK, Spain, Greece and Bulgaria.
• Partner with People Capabilities, Finance, ICPs and ADP for seamless payroll delivery.
• Serve as primary contact for outsourced payroll providers and ensure timely processing.
• Manage payroll queries through established processes and Jira tracking.
• Ensure compliance with local legislation and payroll governance.
• Oversee payroll data validation and payslip production for 1,000 employees.
• Monitor controls, identify risks and drive process improvements.
• Coach and develop team members and drive a culture of performance.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Multi-entity payroll

EMEA payroll delivery

ADP Celergo

UK/Europe compliance

Off-cycle payroll

RSU processing

Pension admin

Stakeholder comms

Analytical skills

Process documentation

Excel skills

PowerPoint

Copilot tools

Continuous improvement

People leadership

Collaborative

Education

CIPP

Tools

ADP Celergo

Jira

Job description

Corporate

Light & Wonder’s corporate team is comprised of incredible talent that works across the enterprise, defying boundaries to provide essential services in an extraordinary manner to ensure the success of the organization and the well-being of employees.

Position Summary

We're excited to offer an opportunity for an experienced Payroll Manager to join our team in Manchester. In this role, you'll lead payroll operations across a complex EMEA landscape, overseeing payroll delivery for 1000 employees across 15 countries and 19 legal entities. Working closely with People Capabilities, Finance, In-Country Partners (ICPs) and our payroll provider, ADP, you'll ensure payroll is delivered accurately, compliantly and on time, while driving continuous improvement across processes and systems. As a member of the Regional Finance Leadership Team, you'll have the opportunity to influence broader business initiatives, build strong stakeholder relationships and help shape the future of payroll operations across the region. We're looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced international environment, enjoys solving complex challenges and is passionate about delivering an exceptional employee experience.

Core Values

• Dare to be Bold – We always bring courage to work to reach for the unbelievable.
• Uphold Integrity – We promote accountability and respect to raise the bar for ourselves and the industry.
• Never Settle – We relentlessly push forward to create the extraordinary in every detail.
• Celebrate Perspectives – We combine diverse talent to look at the familiar in unfamiliar ways.
• Win as a Team – We bring out the best in each other to share collective success.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the end-to-end monthly payroll process across 15 European countries, including the UK, Spain, Greece and Bulgaria.
• Build strong partnerships between People Capabilities, Finance, In-Country Partners (ICPs) and external payroll providers to ensure seamless payroll delivery and timely issue resolution.
• Act as the primary point of contact for outsourced payroll providers, including ADP, managing service delivery and ensuring payroll processing is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Ensure payroll queries are effectively managed and resolved through established service processes, maintaining accurate Jira records, monitoring trends and driving improvements to enhance employee experience and service delivery.
• Collaborate with ICPs across each supported country to ensure compliance with local legislation, regulatory requirements and payroll best practices.
• Ensure payroll activities are completed accurately, efficiently and in compliance with local legislative requirements.
• Oversee the production, review and verification of payroll data and payslips for more than 500 employees across the region.
• Validate payroll outputs provided by ADP Celergo and support payroll-related balance sheet reconciliations.
• Monitor payroll controls, identify risks and implement improvements to strengthen accuracy, compliance and efficiency.
• Support Regional Finance initiatives as a member of the Regional Finance Leadership Team.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, systems and ways of working across the region.
• Coach, mentor and develop team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.

What You’ll Bring

• Significant payroll management experience across multiple European countries.
• Experience managing payroll operations within a complex, multi-entity international organisation supporting a geographically dispersed workforce.
• Proven experience overseeing payroll delivery across multiple countries, legal entities and employment models within the EMEA region.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers, including ADP Celergo, and coordinating payroll activity through In-Country Partners (ICPs).
• Proven knowledge of UK and European payroll legislation, compliance requirements and payroll governance.
• Experience processing off-cycle payrolls, salary adjustments and payroll corrections.
• Knowledge and experience of Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) processing and associated payroll and tax implications.
• Understanding of UK pension administration, reporting and compliance requirements.
• Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to build effective relationships and influence stakeholders across Finance, People Capabilities, external providers and senior leadership teams.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, with a structured approach to identifying and resolving issues.
• Experience creating, maintaining and continuously improving Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and payroll process documentation across multiple countries, ensuring consistency, compliance and knowledge sharing across teams and providers.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including reporting, reconciliations, data analysis, calculations and payroll reporting.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, including PowerPoint, with the ability to create clear reports, presentations and insights for a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience leveraging technology and digital tools, including Microsoft Copilot, to improve productivity, reporting and process efficiency.
• Proven experience driving change, continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience coaching, mentoring and motivating team members to achieve shared goals.
• A proactive, self-motivated and collaborative approach to work.

Qualifications

• CIPP qualification is advantageous

How You’ll Grow

• Expand your international payroll expertise by overseeing payroll operations across 15 countries, multiple legal entities and a diverse EMEA workforce of approximately 1,000 employees.
• Drive transformation and continuous improvement, influencing payroll processes, systems and service delivery across the region.
• Develop your leadership and strategic impact through partnerships with senior Finance, HR, PSC teams, ICPs and external payroll providers.

What can we offer you?

• Annual performance bonus
• 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays
• 1 day paid leave to work on charitable projects
• 1 day paid for personal celebration e.g. birthdays
• Half Day for Health (encouraging you to take time away for you & your wellbeing)
• Up to 8% employer pension contributions
• A reward platform offering a cycle to work scheme and shopping and lifestyle discounts/cashback
• Remote GP Access alongside a wellbeing platform
• Private Medical Insurance
• Elective Benefits: Tastecard/ Travel/Dental Insurance/ Give As You Earn
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Please note, we are unable to sponsor visas at this time. If you require visa sponsorship now or in the future we will not be able to progress with your application.

This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive; it is intended to identify major responsibilities and requirements of the job. The employee in this position may be requested to perform other job-related tasks and responsibilities than those stated above.