Reward Operations Specialist

Sullivan Brown Resourcing Partners - HR Recruitment Experts; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Professional environment

Job summary

Sullivan Brown Resourcing Partners - HR Recruitment Experts seeks an experienced Reward Operations Specialist to join its People team. The role is hands-on and UK-focused, coordinating payroll and related pensions, benefits and reward administration to ensure accurate, timely pay and compliant employee experience.

You will manage end-to-end payroll processes, liaise with outsourced providers, support pension auto-enrolment, salary reviews and bonus activities, and contribute to process

Qualifications

• End-to-end UK payroll experience in a complex organisation.
• Knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, RTI and HMRC requirements.
• Experience with pension auto-enrolment and employee benefits.
• Proficiency with Excel and HR/payroll systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate monthly payroll cycle including starters/leavers and salary changes.
• Liaise with outsourced payroll provider to resolve queries and maintain audit records.
• Administer workplace pensions and auto-enrolment processes; support benefits delivery.
• Contribute to salary reviews, bonus processes, reporting and process improvements.

Skills

UK payroll

Pensions admin

Excel skills

HRIS systems

Data privacy

Education

CIPP (desirable)

Tools

HiBob

Payroll software

Job description

We're recruiting on behalf of an established organisation for an experienced Reward Operations Specialist to join its People function.

This is a hands-on operational role with a strong focus on payroll, alongside responsibility for pensions, employee benefits and wider reward administration. You'll play a key role in ensuring colleagues are paid accurately and on time, maintaining robust controls and supporting a smooth, compliant employee experience.

The position would suit someone with strong end-to-end UK payroll experience who enjoys combining detailed operational work with pensions, benefits and broader reward activities.

What you'll be doing

You’ll coordinate the monthly payroll cycle, validating changes including starters and leavers, salary changes, family leave, statutory and variable payments, deductions and salary sacrifice arrangements. You’ll prepare payroll reports, reconciliations, variance and exceptional analysis, and work closely with an outsourced payroll provider to resolve queries and maintain accurate audit records.

Alongside payroll, you’ll administer workplace pensions and auto-enrolment processes and support the delivery of employee benefits. You’ll also contribute to annual salary review and bonus processes, reward reporting, benchmarking and other reward-related activities, while helping to improve systems, processes and employee self-service.

What we’re looking for

You’ll bring strong practical experience of end-to-end UK payroll within a complex organisation, together with detailed knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, RTI, statutory payments and HMRC requirements. Experience of payroll reconciliations, variance analysis, workplace pensions and auto-enrolment is important, as is confidence working with outsourced providers and handling sensitive employee and financial data.

You’ll also need strong Excel skills and experience working with HR/payroll systems.

Experience with employee benefits, salary sacrifice arrangements, annual salary review or bonus processes would be advantageous. Experience in financial services or another regulated environment, and exposure to HiBob or a similar HR platform, would also be useful. A recognised payroll qualification such as CIPP is desirable rather than essential.

This is a broad reward operations position offering much more than payroll processing alone. You’ll have exposure across payroll, pensions, benefits and reward, working with internal stakeholders and external providers while helping to strengthen and improve operational processes.

The organisation operates a hybrid working model in Birmingham and offers the opportunity to join an established People team within a professional, regulated environment.

Diversity & Inclusion

As an inclusive employer, Sullivan Brown Resourcing Partners is committed to equality of opportunity. We aim to ensure all candidates can perform at their best throughout the recruitment and employment process.

If you require any specific requirements or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let your Recruitment Consultant know and we will be happy to support you.