Payroll Operations Transition Lead

Network IT; Bletchley; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

Network IT is partnering with a major organisation to recruit a Payroll Operations Transition Lead. This role sits at the centre of a large-scale payroll and HR transformation, migrating from SAP ECC to SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP) and driving operational readiness and business adoption.

You will collaborate across People Services, Payroll, Finance, Digital Services, and partners to align processes, governance and delivery with the future state.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Payroll Operations or HR Operations within large organisations.
• Strong understanding of payroll, employment, pension, and statutory compliance.
• Experience delivering major payroll/HR transformation programmes.
• Exposure to SAP, SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP), or comparable HR platforms.
• Experience working with third-party implementation partners.
• Strong understanding of process migration, data governance, and operational controls.
• Excellent stakeholder management across senior levels.
• Experience across Payroll, Finance, People Services, and wider business functions.
• Ability to operate within large, complex organisations undergoing significant change.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational transition activities for the payroll and HR transformation programme.
• Represent Payroll Operations throughout migration from SAP ECC to SF ECP.
• Align payroll processes, governance, and service delivery with future-state technology.
• Collaborate with programme teams, Finance, Digital Services, and partners.
• Drive business readiness, operational transition, and adoption activities across payroll functions.
• Provide SME across Payroll Operations, People Services, and HR processes.
• Ensure compliance, statutory controls, and governance during migration.
• Assess and manage operational impacts from process and system changes.
• Build relationships with stakeholders across Payroll, Finance, Digital, and People Services.
• Embed new operating procedures and long-term service improvements.

Skills

Payroll Ops

HR Transformation

Stakeholder Mgmt

SAP

SuccessFactors ECP

Change Management

Data Governance

Governance

Cross-functional

ERP migration

SF ECP experience

SAP ECC exposure

International payrolls

Higher Education background

Operational readiness

Job description

Role: Payroll Operations Transition Lead

Network IT are working with a leading organisation to recruit a Payroll Operations Transition Lead to play a pivotal role in a major People and Payroll transformation programme.

Location: Milton Keynes (Hybrid)

Salary: 59,000 - 67,000

Contract: 18 Month Fixed-Term

This is a unique opportunity to sit at the centre of a large-scale ERP and payroll migration, helping to transition payroll services from a legacy SAP platform to SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP) while driving operational readiness, business adoption, and process alignment across the organisation.

This opportunity is an 18-month fixed-term arrangement, please ensure you can accommodate to this circumstance before applying.

Role Overview

As the Payroll Operations Transition Lead, you will act as the key operational representative for Payroll and People Services throughout a critical payroll and HR systems transformation.

Working across People Services, Payroll, Finance, Digital Services, and third-party implementation partners, you will ensure the successful migration of payroll services from SAP ECC to SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP), whilst aligning operational processes, governance, and service delivery models to support the future-state organisation.

This role requires a highly experienced individual with a strong background in Payroll Operations, People Services, HR Technology, and Transformation Delivery. You will be equally comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders, operational teams, and programme leadership, ensuring business readiness, compliance, and sustainable change throughout the programme lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operational transition activities associated with a major Payroll and HR transformation programme
• Represent Payroll Operations throughout the migration from SAP ECC to SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP)
• Align payroll processes, controls, governance, and service delivery with future-state technology solutions
• Collaborate closely with programme teams, Finance, Digital Services, Payroll, and third-party implementation partners
• Drive business readiness, operational transition, and adoption activities across payroll functions
• Provide subject matter expertise across Payroll Operations, People Services, and HR processes
• Ensure compliance, statutory controls, and operational governance are maintained throughout the migration
• Assess and manage operational impacts arising from process and system change
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across Payroll, Finance, Digital, and People Services functions
• Support the successful embedding of new operating procedures and long-term service improvements

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience operating within Payroll Operations, HR Operations, People Technology, or HR Transformation environments
• Strong understanding of Payroll, Employment, Pension, and statutory compliance requirements
• Experience delivering or supporting major Payroll, HR, or People system transformation programmes
• Exposure to SAP, SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP), or comparable HR technology platforms
• Experience working alongside third-party implementation partners and technology providers
• Strong understanding of process migration, business change, data governance, and operational controls
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels
• Experience working across Payroll, Finance, People Services, and wider business functions
• Strong organisational, delivery, and relationship‑building capabilities
• Experience operating successfully within large, complex organisations undergoing significant change

Highly Desirable Skills & Experience

• SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP) experience
• SAP Payroll or SAP ECC exposure
• Experience supporting international or Republic of Ireland payrolls
• Background within Higher Education or similarly complex organisational environments
• Experience leading operational readiness, service transition, or business adoption activities