Payroll Team Lead (Education)

IRIS Software Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading payroll services provider in the UK seeks a Client Payroll Team Lead to lead a team of Payroll Executives, ensuring high standards and customer satisfaction. This position requires 3-5 years of payroll processing experience and knowledge of UK payroll legislation, with a focus on serving the education sector. The role offers the opportunity to drive continuous improvement in payroll services for diverse clients.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years’ experience in end-to-end payroll processing.
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation and auto-enrolment.
• Previous leadership or team management experience.
• Previous leadership or team management experience.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and customer service skills.
• Proficiency in Excel, Outlook, and payroll software platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Payroll Executives.
• Oversee processing of client payrolls accurately and on time.
• Act as the first point of escalation for client queries.
• Ensure service levels, KPIs, and BACS deadlines are met.
• Collaborate with Account Managers for smooth client experiences.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Monitor capacity planning and team performance data.

Skills

End-to-end payroll processing

Knowledge of PAYE

Communication skills

Customer service skills

Organisational skills

Leadership skills

Continuous improvement mindset

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Payroll software platforms

Job description

Join one of the UK’s leading payroll providers and help shape the future of payroll delivery.

At IRIS, we power over 50,000 UK businesses, process payroll for 18% of the UK workforce, and support 4 million parents through our education platforms. As one of the UK’s largest privately held software companies, we’re trusted by organisations of all sizes to get mission‑critical tasks right first time, every time.

We’ve been named a Great Place to Work , one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women , and we’re proud of our award‑winning culture that values innovation, flexibility, and people.

The Role

We’re looking for a Client Payroll Team Lead to join our growing Fully Managed Payroll division within our education group. In this role, you’ll lead a team of Payroll Executives delivering outsourced payroll services to a diverse client base. You’ll be responsible for ensuring smooth operations, high‑quality standards, and outstanding customer satisfaction.

What you will be doing

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Payroll Executives focused on our Education customers.
• Oversee the accurate and timely processing of client payrolls.
• Act as the first point of escalation for client queries and service issues.
• Ensure service levels, KPIs, and BACS deadlines are consistently met.
• Collaborate with Account Managers to ensure smooth client experiences.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Monitor capacity planning and team performance data.
• Stay up to date with payroll legislation and software updates.

What You’ll Bring

• 3–5 years’ experience in end-to-end payroll processing.
• Strong knowledge of PAYE, auto‑enrolment, and UK payroll legislation.
• Education sector knowledge is highly advantageous.
• Previous leadership or team management experience.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and customer service skills.
• Proficiency in Excel, Outlook, and payroll software platforms.
• CIPP qualification (preferred, but not essential).

Apply Now

If you’re passionate about payroll, customer success, and leading great teams we would love to hear from you! Apply today and help IRIS continue to deliver mission‑critical services for thousands of UK organisations.