Senior Payroll Specialist

Sopra Steria; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Life assurance

Health cash plan

Pension

Job summary

Sopra Steria in Newcastle upon Tyne seeks a Senior Payroll Specialist to deliver accurate, compliant payroll within our HR Shared Services model. You will focus on UK payroll, embrace automation and AI to improve efficiency, and support testing and controls in a fast-paced environment.

This hybrid role requires 3 days per week on-site in Newcastle and offers a salary up to £42k depending on experience, with 25 days leave and pension benefits.

Qualifications

• Extensive end-to-end experience in advanced payroll administration.
• Experience handling large-scale payroll with multiple demands.
• Up-to-date knowledge of statutory regulations (Tax, NI, pensions).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll processes (6,000+ monthly) with accuracy and compliance.
• Support daily payroll operations and on-site go-to specialist.
• Identify improvements and drive automation/AI-enabled streamlining.
• Handle complex payroll scenarios, including pensions and executive payments.
• Prepare payroll reports and support audits.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Payroll compliance

Audit support

Process improvement

Project management

People management (nice-to-have)

Education

Payroll qualification (CIPP)

Tools

Payroll systems

Job description

Due to an internal promotion, we are looking for a Senior Payroll Specialist to join our team.

As a Senior Payroll Specialist, you’ll support the delivery of accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll services within our HR Shared Services model. This role is ideal for someone with strong UK payroll expertise, and a mindset geared toward innovation and process efficiency - particularly through the adoption of automation and AI technologies.

The role contributes to continuous improvement initiatives, supports system enhancements and testing, and helps maintain robust payroll controls to minimise risk and ensure compliance. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical payroll knowledge, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

This is a hybrid role requiring 3 days per week in our Newcastle Upon Tyne office.

What you will be doing

• Support the Payroll Manager to lead the end-to-end payroll process (over 6000 monthly), ensuring accuracy and adherence to all relevant regulations and company policies.
• Support the Payroll Manager with the day-to-day Payroll operations, including supporting team members and colleagues and being on the on-site go-to Payroll specialist.
• Develop the team’s ability to handle complex issues while improving service quality and employee satisfaction.
• Support with the identification and lead opportunities to streamline payroll operations using automation tools, robotics (RPA), and AI-driven technologies.
• Handle high-level and sophisticated payroll scenarios, including special payments, executive compensation, and international payroll considerations.
• Oversee the administration of a variety of company pension schemes, managing auto-enrolment payments, pension contribution changes, and compliance with pension regulations.
• Provide expert-level support to resolve escalated payroll queries from both employees and managers, demonstrating exceptional problem-solving skills.
• Prepare and present payroll-related reports to management, highlighting key metrics, trends, and insights.

What you’ll bring

• Extensive broad end to end experience in advanced payroll administration, including exposure to complex payroll scenarios.
• Previous experience of processing payroll related information and inputting to payroll systems on a large scale with multiple demands
• Knowledge of up to date statutory and legislative regulations in relation to payroll such as Tax and NI, Maternity pay etc.
• In-depth knowledge of pension schemes, regulatory compliance, and payroll best practices.
• Act as a subject matter expert in payroll matters during internal and external audits.
• Project management skills with the ability to lead process improvement initiatives.
• People Management experience is beneficial but not essential.
• Payroll qualification, i.e. CIPP, is beneficial but not essential.

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Location: Hybrid with Newcastle Upon Tyne office attendance 3 times per week

Security Clearance Level: SC

Internal Recruiter: Adrian

Salary: Up to £42k depending on experience

Benefits: 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days, life assurance, health cash plan and pension

Although this role is advertised as full-time, we believe that flexibility at work can promote work/life balance, increase your motivation, reduce stress and improves performance and productivity. We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements.

We are a purpose driven digital transformation provider, creating innovative digital solutions to help clients drive their digital transformation projects and secure tangible and sustainable benefits. We harness the power of innovation to drive positive change in both business and society, delivering sustainable growth and services which make life better, from effective frontline citizen services, to digitising financial services, utilities, and delivering smarter roads.

We place people at the heart of everything we do and are committed to working with our customers, partners and suppliers to shape a better world and add real and lasting social value to the communities in which we work.

Together we are building a better future by delivering real and lasting value.

We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We have partnered with Vercida, the UK's largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.