Regional Payroll Manager - Growth Markets

Primark Stores Limited; England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company is seeking a Regional Payroll Manager to oversee payroll operations across multiple markets. The ideal candidate will have over 7 years of EMEA payroll experience and fluency in French. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with local laws, managing operational costs, and leading a high-performing team. This position offers competitive benefits, including healthcare and potential bonuses, within a dynamic and supportive work environment.

Benefits

Healthcare

Pension

Potential bonus

27 days of leave

Tax Saver Tickets

Fitness centre

Subsidised cafeteria

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years’ experience of EMEA payrolls.
• Strong people leadership and change management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll operations across multiple markets.
• Ensure payroll compliance with regional labour laws.
• Manage operational costs for your Region.

Skills

EMEA payroll experience

Fluent French

Project management

Stakeholder management

Excel/MS skills

Education

CIPP qualified or equivalent

Job description

Regional Payroll Manager – Growth Markets, French speaking (12 month FTC)

Because we strive to put people first. Culture, our way.

Payroll at Primark

What’s a career at Primark all about? The positive impact you’re making, the experiences you’re having and the people you’re with. You’re our inspiration. Embrace what sets you apart, own your career and develop in ways you never expected. Leave your mark. And do it your way.

What You’ll Get

People are at the heart of what we do here, so it’s essential we provide you with the right environment to perform at your very best.

Let’s talk lifestyle: Healthcare, pension, and potential bonus. 27 days of leave, plus bank holidays and if you want, you can buy 5 more. Because Primark is all about tailoring to you, we offer Tax Saver Tickets, fitness centre, and a subsidised cafeteria.

What You’ll Do as a Regional Payroll Manager – Growth Markets

You will lead payroll operations across multiple markets. This includes overseeing the accurate and timely processing of payroll for store, warehouse, and head office colleagues, in line with global processes, while ensuring compliance with local labour laws, retail-specific scheduling practices, and union or collective agreements where applicable. The role is key to delivering a seamless employee pay experience and maintaining strong internal controls in a fast-paced, high-volume retail environment.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the team to drive efficient operational processing through the adoption of automation where possible, application of standardised processes and delivery of a consistent service model
• Lead on delivery of the Payroll Roadmap for the Region
• SME in delivery of new payroll implementations
• Escalation point, to support with payroll errors
• Manage operational costs for your Region, driving a cost leadership mindset.
• Provide Input to the preparation of the annual Global Payroll budget
• Design new payroll policies and processes where needed in collaboration with the Global Process owner
• Support in the design and delivery of the payroll strategy and agreed Global ways of working.
• Align processes for countries with Global Process Owner.
• Maintains a strong high-performing team through effective recruiting, training, coaching, team building, performance management and resource planning.
• Ensure payroll compliance with regional labour laws, minimum wage regulations, tax requirements, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and manage internal or external payroll audits.
• Implement strong internal controls to prevent payroll errors or fraud in high-volume retail environments.
• Fosters and maintains positive relationships with the internal stakeholder groups
• Awareness of changes to current payroll legislation to advise the business on necessary changes
• Management of the external international payroll vendor contracts, including the on-going management of SLAs, service delivery and ensuring compliance to in-country reporting requirements.
• Develop and maintain robust Business Continuity plans for all payrolls
• Lead internal and external audits within supported countries ensuring process improvements are introduced as necessary and in line with audit findings
• Responsible for defining, measuring, and adhering to appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) established under the service delivery model

What You’ll Bring

Here at Primark, we want everyone to feel valued – so please bring your authentic self to work, of course with some other key experience and abilities for this role in particular:

• Minimum 7+ years’ experience of EMEA payrolls and payroll systems including people management.
• Fluent French speaking is essential.
• CIPP qualified or equivalent.
• Strong project management experience.
• Strong vendor and stakeholder management.
• Hands on approach to problem solving.
• Forward thinking/future visionary, identify process improvements.
• Strong people leadership.
• A solid understanding of efficient and effective payroll processes.
• Change Management.
• Knowledge of payroll data from connecting systems e.g., HCM and Time and Attendance set ups.
• Demonstrates Primark behaviours and values, coach and develop team. Sound judgement, unquestionable ethics and integrity with a high degree of transparency and trust.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written to build strong relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Advanced level excel/MS skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and analytical skills.
• Detailed company and legislative knowledge for countries supporting.

Does this sound like you? Great, because we can’t wait to see what you’ll bring. You’ll be supported within a team of equally capable people, celebrating who you are and aiding you reach your potential. At Primark, we’re excited about our future - and we’re excited to develop yours.

About Primark

At Primark, people matter. They’re the beating heart of our business and the reason we’ve grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business and over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we\'re Caring and always strive to put people first. We\'re also Dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed Together.

If you need any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request, during your recruitment journey, such as extended time or breaks between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, mobility access, or assistive technology please contact your talent acquisition specialist.

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, including right to work, reference education and for some roles criminal, and financial checks. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our talent acquisition team to discuss.

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