Payroll Specialist (6 month FTC)

Swiss Re - Schweizerische Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible working arrangements

Career development opportunities

Global organisation benefits

Job summary

Swiss Re's HR Service Delivery team seeks a Payroll Specialist to support monthly payrolls across the UK, South Africa and Ireland and provide high-quality HR administration. You will liaise with colleagues, managers and external providers to ensure accurate payroll processing and confidential handling of employee data.

The role focuses on payroll and HR administration, reporting, and process improvement within a global organisation, offering exposure to a broad international payroll environment

Qualifications

• Experience in payroll administration or HR support with a focus on accuracy.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Confidential handling of sensitive payroll data and records.
• Experience working in a corporate or international environment.

Responsibilities

• Support monthly payrolls across the UK, South Africa and Ireland.
• Maintain accurate employee records and documentation.
• Assist with payroll-related payments and administration activities.
• Provide first point of contact for payroll and HR queries.
• Assist with payroll reporting and regulatory compliance.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and support HR projects.

Skills

Payroll administration

HR administration

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Microsoft Excel

Data handling

Confidentiality

Organisation

Tools

Payroll systems

HR systems

Job description

We are looking for a Payroll Specialist to join our HR Service Delivery team. This is a varied role that combines payroll administration, employee support and HR administration activities, helping to ensure employees are paid accurately and receive a high-quality HR service.

You will be a key point of contact for payroll and HR-related queries, working closely with employees, managers, HR colleagues and external providers. You will support payroll processes across the UK, South Africa and Ireland, maintain employee records, assist with reporting activities and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the team.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with people, has strong attention to detail and is keen to develop their knowledge of payroll and HR operations within a global organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration

• Support the delivery of monthly payrolls across the UK, South Africa and Ireland.
• Ensure payroll information is accurate and up to date, including new starters, leavers, employee changes, family leave updates and benefits changes.
• Assist with payroll-related payments and administration activities.
• Work with payroll providers and internal stakeholders to ensure payroll processes are completed accurately and on time.
• Help ensure payroll deadlines are met and any issues are resolved promptly.

HR Administration & Employee Support

• Act as a first point of contact for payroll and HR-related queries from employees and managers.
• Manage and resolve queries through the HR service delivery process, liaising with colleagues and external providers where required.
• Maintain accurate employee records and documentation.
• Support HR administration activities throughout the employee lifecycle, including onboarding and offboarding processes.
• Provide administrative support across the wider HR team as required.

Reporting & Compliance

• Assist with payroll and HR reporting activities.
• Support statutory and annual reporting requirements.
• Maintain accurate records in line with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Help ensure payroll and HR processes are compliant and appropriately documented.

Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve processes and ways of working.
• Support projects and initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency and the employee experience.
• Contribute ideas and best practices to support continuous improvement across the team.
• Work closely with HR colleagues, payroll providers and global teams to deliver a high-quality service.
• Provide cover and support for other HR administration activities when required.
• Maintain confidentiality when handling employee information and payroll data.
• Build positive working relationships with stakeholders across the business.

About the Team

You will join a HR Service Delivery team of seven, working within a wider HR team based in London. The team works closely with colleagues across the business and globally to provide efficient, professional and employee-focused HR and payroll support.

About You

You are organised, detail-oriented and enjoy providing excellent service to employees and stakeholders. You are comfortable managing multiple priorities, solving problems and building effective working relationships with a variety of people.

Skills and Experience

• Previous experience in payroll administration, HR administration or a similar support role.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• A customer-focused approach with the ability to manage queries effectively.
• Confidence working with data and Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.
• A proactive and collaborative approach to work.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to use initiative.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information appropriately.
• Experience working in a corporate or international environment.
• Familiarity with payroll systems and HR systems.
• Experience supporting payroll or HR processes within a medium to large organisation.

What We Offer

In return, we offer a competitive salary, excellent benefits, flexible working arrangements and the opportunity to develop your career within a supportive and collaborative global organisation.

You will be part of a team that values continuous learning, innovation and employee wellbeing, with opportunities to build your skills, broaden your experience and contribute to meaningful work.

About Swiss Re

Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. We anticipate and manage a wide variety of risks, from natural catastrophes and climate change to cybercrime. Combining experience with creative thinking and cutting-edge expertise, we create new opportunities and solutions for our clients. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of more than 15,000 employees across the world.

Our success depends on our ability to build an inclusive culture encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. We embrace a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive and develop professionally regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, skillset, thought or other characteristics. In our inclusive and flexible environment everyone can bring their authentic selves to work and their passion for sustainability.

If you are an experienced professional returning to the workforce after a career break, we encourage you to apply for open positions that match your skills and experience.

We may use AI-powered tools to support the review and evaluation of applications for this position. These tools provide additional insights to our recruitment teams, but all hiring decisions are carefully reviewed and made by people. To learn more about how we use AI in recruitment and how we handle your personal data, please review our Data Privacy Statement before applying.

Start your career journey with Swiss Re.