Payroll Team Leader

Oxford University Press; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxford University Press, based in Oxford, is seeking an experienced UK Payroll Team Leader to deliver accurate, compliant payroll for about 2,000 UK employees. The role leads a small payroll team, oversees monthly and annual cycles, and drives improvements across payroll processes.

You will manage relationships with HR, Finance, suppliers and external bodies, and contribute to audits while ensuring payroll controls and timely reporting. A hybrid 2 days in the Oxford office is required.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a payroll team or HR operational team.
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation and best practice.
• Experience working with payroll systems.
• Excellent knowledge of monthly and annual payroll cycles.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Experience reviewing and improving operational processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and wider Microsoft Office skills.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring UK payroll activities are delivered accurately, on time, and in line with legislation and company policies.
• Leading, coaching and developing the payroll team.
• Managing the end-to-end monthly payroll process for approximately 2,000 UK employees.
• Overseeing annual payroll activities, including tax year-end processes and payroll scheduling.
• Acting as the escalation point for complex payroll queries and issues.
• Managing relationships with HMRC, payroll suppliers and key internal stakeholders.
• Supporting audits and ensuring payroll controls and compliance requirements are met.
• Partnering with Finance to provide payroll reporting, costing information and statutory returns.
• Maintaining and improving payroll processes, standard operating procedures and business continuity plans.
• Leading payroll-related projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensuring accurate processing of deductions, third-party payments, family leave, sick pay and other payroll-related activities.

Skills

Payroll leadership

UK payroll legislation

Payroll systems experience

Monthly and annual payroll cycles

Detail-oriented

Organization and prioritisation

Process improvement

Communication skills

Excel skills

Tools

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll

Job description

We're looking for an experienced UK Payroll Team Leader to join our Group HR function and take responsibility for delivering an accurate, compliant, and high-quality payroll service for approximately 2,000 UK employees.

As a key member of the People Services team, you'll lead and develop a small payroll team, oversee monthly and annual payroll activities, manage stakeholder relationships, and drive continuous improvement across payroll processes. This is an excellent opportunity for a payroll professional who combines strong technical expertise with people leadership and a passion for service excellence. You'll have the chance to influence payroll operations, deliver meaningful improvements, and work closely with stakeholders across HR, Finance, suppliers and external bodies.

Key responsibilities

• Ensuring all UK payroll activities are delivered accurately, on time, and in line with legislation and company policies.
• Leading, coaching and developing the payroll team.
• Managing the end-to-end monthly payroll process for approximately 2,000 UK employees.
• Overseeing annual payroll activities, including tax year-end processes and payroll scheduling.
• Acting as the escalation point for complex payroll queries and issues.
• Managing relationships with HMRC, payroll suppliers and key internal stakeholders.
• Supporting audits and ensuring payroll controls and compliance requirements are met.
• Partnering with Finance to provide payroll reporting, costing information and statutory returns.
• Maintaining and improving payroll processes, standard operating procedures and business continuity plans.
• Leading payroll-related projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensuring accurate processing of deductions, third-party payments, family leave, sick pay and other payroll-related activities.

We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.

About You

You'll bring both payroll expertise and leadership experience, with the ability to build strong relationships across HR, Finance and external partners.

Essential

• Experience managing a payroll team or a closely related HR operational team.
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation and payroll best practice.
• Experience working with payroll systems.
• Excellent knowledge of monthly and annual payroll cycles.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Experience reviewing and improving operational processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and wider Microsoft Office skills.

Desirable

• Experience with SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll.
• Knowledge of payroll business continuity planning.
• Understanding of payrolled Benefits in Kind.

We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.