Senior Payroll Administrator

Central Employment Agency (North East) Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services recruitment agency is seeking a Senior Payroll Administrator to manage end-to-end payroll for diverse clients. The successful candidate will ensure compliance with the latest UK tax codes and mentor junior staff. Key responsibilities include processing payrolls, supporting clients with queries, and coordinating year-end procedures. Ideal candidates will have over 3 years of experience in payroll, advanced Excel skills, and strong communication abilities. This role offers a fantastic opportunity to lead in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years in a payroll bureau environment is desirable.
• Highly proficient in data manipulation using Excel.
• Strong numerical aptitude for tax and NI calculations.

Responsibilities

• Process multiple payrolls for various clients, ensuring deadlines are met.
• Manage full cycle from data input to BACS file preparation.
• Provide guidance on payroll legislation and resolve discrepancies.

Skills

Payroll processing

Data manipulation

Numerical aptitude

Communication skills

Education

CIPP qualification (Foundation Degree or Practitioner certificate)

Tools

Excel (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables, formulas)

Job description

Central Employment are supporting a leading Financial Services organisation on the outskirts of Newcastle city centre with the recruitment of a Senior Payroll Administrator. The Senior Payroll Administrator will be responsible for processing multiple salaried payrolls, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring compliance in line with internal and statutory payroll requirements.

Role Purpose

As a Senior Payroll Administrator, you will take ownership of a diverse portfolio of clients, managing end-to-end payroll services from small businesses to large corporate entities. You will serve as the primary point of contact for complex queries and lead by example to ensure 100% accuracy and strict legislative compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Portfolio Management : Autonomously process multiple payrolls (weekly, fortnightly, and monthly) for various clients, ensuring all statutory deadlines are met.
• End-to-End Processing : Manage the full cycle from data collation and input to BACS file preparation and RTI submissions.
• Technical Compliance : Calculate and review complex statutory payments including SSP, SMP, SPP, and redundancy. Ensure adherence to the latest 2025 UK tax codes, National Insurance thresholds, and National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations.
• Year-End Procedures : Coordinate tax year-end processes, including the production and distribution of P60s, P11Ds, and P45s.
• Client Liaison & Advice : Act as a technical expert for clients, providing guidance on payroll legislation, HMRC enquiries, and resolving discrepancies.
• Team Support : Mentor junior staff, conduct quality reviews of their work, and assist the Payroll Manager with process improvements or software migrations.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• Experience : Minimum 3+ years in a payroll bureau environment is desirable.
• Advanced Excel : Highly proficient in data manipulation (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables, and formulas).
• Qualification : CIPP qualification (Foundation Degree or Practitioner certificate) is highly desirable.
• Analytical Mindset : Strong numerical aptitude with the ability to perform manual tax and NI calculations to verify system outputs.
• Communication : Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for maintaining professional relationships with clients and HMRC.