Payroll Specialist

Equans UK & Ireland; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Free parking

Life cover 2x annual salary

Employee discounts

Gym membership discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Holiday purchase scheme

CSR days

Learning opportunities

Employee referral rewards

Employee networks

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Equans UK & Ireland is seeking a Payroll Specialist to join the Payroll and Benefits team at Quorum Business Park in Newcastle. This full-time role (37.5 hours) offers a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package in a modern Shared Services office.

The role focuses on accurate, timely payroll processing, supporting payroll projects and improving processes in line with legislation and company policy.

Qualifications

• Experience in operational and strategic payroll service delivery.
• Payroll implementation and systems development.
• Leadership skills and ability to influence at all levels.
• Change and project management experience.
• Knowledge of current/upcoming payroll legislation.
• Ability to utilise data insights to drive goals.
• Advanced MS Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of HR & Payroll solutions.

Responsibilities

• Work with UKBU Central IT, HR & Payroll to support UKBP projects.
• Migrate payrolls onto SAP by April 2027.
• Rationalise SAP build to align wage types across Equans.
• Align Payroll processes and ensure integration with legacy systems.
• Ensure PAYE reference is transferred to Equans.
• Act as Payroll SME for ERA 2025 changes.
• Assist in HRIS and payroll solution design for the UKBU.
• Capture requirements for SAP build improvements and future fit.
• Review end-to-end HR & Payroll processes with HR to remove manual steps.

Skills

Payroll delivery

Payroll systems

Leadership

Change management

Regulatory knowledge

Data insights

MS Office

HR & Payroll solutions

Education

CIPP Advanced Diploma

Tools

SAP

Job description

Equans is looking for a Payroll Specialist to join the Payroll and Benefits team based at Quorum Business Park on a permanent basis. This is a full time role working 37.5 hours per week. On offer is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package

You'll be based at our brand new, super modern Shared Services office in Newcastle, which is a dynamic multifunctional operation, where our people are committed to delivering great services that enable our business to meet its goals.

We invest in our people through a broad range of learning opportunities such as professional qualifications, collective/individual training, and personalised support programmes.

We care about the health and wellbeing of our people and we’re proud of our Better Health at work Gold certification, achieved through various campaigns and activities supporting our employees.

We champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and have various forums across Shared Services where we encourage our people to take part, get involved and continue to shape and build on the culture we are proud of here at Equans Shared Services.

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll, ensuring all employees are paid correctly and in line with Equans standards, company policies, employment legislation, tax regulations, and statutory requirements. The role supports transformational projects, reporting, and continuous improvement of payroll processes.

What will you deliver?

• Work with UKBU Central IT, HR & Payroll teams, to support the delivery of UKBU HR & Payroll projects.
• Work with Central IT, HR to migrate all payrolls onto to SAP by April 2027.
• Responsible for the Analysis and rationalisation of Equans SAP build to ensure wage types are aligned where possible, across Equans.
• Responsible for aligning Payroll processes, ensuring integration is in place if legacy systems are to remain.
• Responsible for ensuring PAYE reference is transferred to Equans.
• Payroll Subject Matter Expert for payroll projects following changes in Employment Rights Act (ERA) 2025.
• Support the discovery and design phase of HRIS solution and new payroll solution for the UKBU.
• Work with project team to ensure requirements are captured on current SAP build, considering improvements for new solution to ensure future fit.
• Work with HR team to review end to end HR & Payroll processes to identify opportunities to remove manual processes.

What can we offer you?

On offer is a competitive salary, bonus and benefits package, which includes;

• 25 days annual leave(+ public holidays).
• Free parking.
• Life Cover equivalent to 2 timesannual salary.
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers.
• Gym membership discounts.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 corporate social responsibility days per year.
• Broad range of learning opportunities, such as professional qualifications, collective/individual training, and personalized support programmes.
• Attractive Employee Referral Rewards Scheme.
• Access to our growing employee networks including WiE (Women in Equans), RISE (BAME), LGBTQI+, Working Parents, YPN (Young Persons Network) and our Disability Network.
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app.

Who are you?

Essential Criteria

• Experience within operational and strategic payroll service delivery.
• Payroll implementation and systems development.
• Leadership skills
• Change and project management.
• Understanding of current/upcoming Payroll legislation.
• The ability to influence and build effective relationships at all levels.
• The ability to utilise data insights to identify and drive strategic goals.
• Advanced knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Knowledge of HR & Payroll solutions.

Desirable Criteria

• Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) – Advanced Diploma or relevant experience.
• Process improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma

Who are we?

In the UK & Ireland, Equans is a provider of sustainable facilities management and regeneration, and cutting-edge energy and digital services. Our 15,000 employees combine these activities to deliver decarbonisation across the built environment and help businesses, communities, public sector organisations and government to accelerate the transition to a low carbon, resilient world.

Globally, Equans is a world leader in the energy and services sector with operations in 20 countries, 90,000 employees working on 5 continents and a turnover of 19.2 billion euros in 2024. Equans is a subsidiary of the Bouygues group.

Our ambition

At Equans, we are driven by our ambition to be recognised for our operational excellence and as the best place to work for our employees. This commitment extends to achieving global and sustainable performance through Impact, ensuring that everything we do aligns with our core values—Accountability, Respect, Team Spirit, and Service Focus.

We take ownership, act with integrity, and set high standards. We listen, support, and care for one another. We collaborate and build trust to achieve shared goals, always striving to meet our customers' needs in a proactive and pragmatic way. These values shape our culture, strengthen our community, and inspire us to deliver excellence every day.

What's next?

At Equans, we’re committed to building a diverse, respectful and inclusive workplace that truly reflects the communities and markets we serve.

Joining Equans means being part of a culture where every voice is valued, supported by vibrant employee led networks championing inclusion and diversity across gender, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQ+, veterans, parents, and young professionals.

Guided by our core values, we foster a culture of respect, integrity, collaboration, and excellence - empowering our people to deliver outstanding results and be their authentic selves every day. Our approach means we welcome candidates with transferable skills who may not meet every specific requirement, and where possible we support flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments to enable success.

For this role, you must have evidence of the right to work in the UK. Certain roles may require applicants to undergo a Disclosure check or security vetting, as noted in the role requirements. A criminal record will not necessarily be a barrier to obtaining a position with us.