Payroll Software Implementation Specialist

Adaptable Recruitment; Chorley; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Hybrid working

Group Personal Pension Plan

Additional benefits

Job summary

Adaptable Recruitment is seeking a Payroll Software Implementation Specialist to join our Chorley-based team on a 6-month fixed-term contract. You will support the payroll transformation initiative across a complex UK payroll environment, working with the Payroll Project Lead and external vendors.

Hands-on experience with UK payroll software implementations (Zellis) and data migration is highly valued. The role requires strong analytical skills, documentation, testing cycles, and stakeholder

Qualifications

• Strong technical knowledge of UK payroll legislation and payroll best practice.
• Hands on experience with UK payroll systems, ideally with Zellis Technology.
• Proven experience and strong understanding of payroll interfaces with HRIS, Finance ERP, Time & Attendance, and pension and other benefit and third‑party providers.
• Proven experience in data migration, including cleansing, mapping, and validation.
• Significant experience of complex payroll models including multiple payroll frequencies, multiple legal entities, TUPE transfers, harmonisation programmes, and complex pay calculations.
• Confident working with large datasets and Excel.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical details into clear guidance.
• Significant experience supporting UK system implementations and/or payroll transformation projects.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate workshops and develop training materials and user guidance documentation to define requirements, business processes, and future‑state operating models, and manage stakeholder expectations and provide regular project updates.
• Process documentation: create clear "as‑is" and "to‑be" process maps, workflows, and procedural documentation.
• Data analysis & preparation: define, review, audit, and prepare payroll data and datasets for migration, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Testing & UAT: coordinate and execute payroll testing, cycles, parallel runs, defect resolution, and statutory calculation checks.
• Stakeholder engagement: working closely with HR, Finance, IT, Operations, and external vendors to ensure project alignment and smooth delivery throughout implementation.
• System configuration: support system configuration of complex and varied payroll rules, pay elements, GL mapping, and integrations with HRIS/ERP systems.
• Compliance & Controls: ensure payroll processes meet HMRC, GDPR and data protection legislative requirements, RTI and PAYE/NIC's requirements, pensions regulations, and internal governance standards.
• Change management: assist with training, communication, and handover to BAU payroll teams at go-live stage.

Skills

UK payroll

Data migration

Excel

Stakeholder engagement

System configuration

Test & UAT

Payroll modelling

Communication

Problem solving

Tools

Zellis Technology

Excel

Job description

Adaptable Recruitment are seeking a Payroll Software Implementation Specialist to work with a flourishing business based in Chorley on a 6 month Fixed Term Contract basis.

What's on offer

Up to £60k DOE
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays with the option to buy more
Hybrid working
Group Personal Pension Plan
Additional fantastic benefits

About the role

As a Payroll Software Implementation Specialist, you will work closely with the Payroll Project Lead and play a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of our payroll transformation initiative across a complex UK payroll environment within the organisation. This role is ideal for someone with hands‑on experience in complex UK payroll software implementations and integrations (specific experience in Zellis' ZellisONE, Zellis HCM AIR SaaS, Zellis HCM Cloud SaaS and/or Zellis Private Cloud SaaS would be advantageous) and proven capability in data migration, process improvement and governance, and supporting stakeholders through all phases of implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitate workshops and develop training materials and user guidance documentation to define requirements, business processes, and future‑state operating models, and manage stakeholder expectations and provide regular project updates
• Process documentation: create clear "as‑is" and "to‑be" process maps, workflows, and procedural documentation
• Data analysis & preparation: define, review, audit, and prepare payroll data and datasets for migration, ensuring accuracy and completeness
• Testing & UAT: coordinate and execute payroll testing, cycles, parallel runs, defect resolution, and statutory calculation checks
• Stakeholder engagement: working closely with HR, Finance, IT, Operations, and external vendors to ensure project alignment and smooth delivery throughout implementation
• System configuration: support system configuration of complex and varied payroll rules, pay elements, GL mapping, and integrations with HRIS/ERP systems
• Compliance & Controls: ensure payroll processes meet HMRC, GDPR and data protection legislative requirements, RTI and PAYE/NIC's requirements, pensions regulations, and internal governance standards
• Change management: assist with training, communication, and handover to BAU payroll teams at go-live stage

Experience and Qualifications

• Strong technical knowledge of UK payroll legislation and payroll best practice.
• Hands on experience with UK payroll systems, ideally with Zellis Technology.
• Proven experience and strong understanding or payroll interfaces with HRIS, Finance ERP, Time & Attendance, and pension and other benefit and third‑party providers
• Proven experience in data migration, including cleansing, mapping, and validation
• Significant experience of complex payroll models including multiple payroll frequencies, multiple legal entities, TUPE transfers, harmonisation programmes, and complex pay calculations
• Confident working with large datasets and Excel
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical details into clear guidance
• Significant experience supporting UK system implementations and/or payroll transformation projects
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail