Time & Attendance Lead

Bright Horizons; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Holiday entitlements

Discounted childcare

Quarterly Employee Appreciation Weeks

Annual gala award evening

Retail discounts

Job summary

Bright Horizons is seeking a Time and Attendance Lead to oversee UK T&A operations and optimise the Time & Attendance system (UKG). The role collaborates with Payroll, HR, Finance and other stakeholders, owning issue resolution and driving system improvements.

The position is hybrid with some travel to the Northampton HO, offering flexible working and a strong focus on employee experience. The candidate will design training, support managers, and ensure T&A data flows into Payroll, while

Qualifications

• Strong experience with Time & Attendance/HRIS systems.
• Understanding of end-to-end T&A processes and their impact on Payroll.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience coaching and mentoring teams.

Responsibilities

• Act as the UK T&A lead for all T&A related operating processes and ensure activities are completed accurately and on time.
• Provide specialist advice on complex T&A matters and training for managers and UKG users.
• Ensure T&A activity supports accurate downstream Payroll processing and data flow.
• Design, lead and maintain training for the T&A system (onboarding, E-learning, sessions).
• Identify, assess and proactively manage T&A risks and escalate as needed.
• Challenge processes to reduce risk, inefficiency, or poor employee experience.
• Ensure T&A issues are resolved within agreed timescales.
• Address recurring pain points and improve processes and training.

Skills

Time & Attendance

HRIS systems

End-to-end T&A processes

Stakeholder management

Coaching & mentoring

Communication skills

UKG

Workday

Tools

UKG

Workday

Job description

Role: Time and Attendance Lead

Type: Full Time / 37.50 hours per week / Monday to Friday

This is a hybrid role with some travel expected to our HO in Northampton

Salary: £DOE

Closing Date: 17th October 2026

Purpose of Role:

The Time and Attendance Lead (T&A Lead) is responsible for the day to day UK T&A operations and in supporting in continuous improvement of the organisation s Time & Attendance system (Currently UKG). The role ensures T&A processes, systems and data are accurate and aligned to business requirements. This role partners closely with Payroll, HR, Finance, HR Systems and other stakeholders and will provide subject matter expertise, owning the resolution of complex issues as well as driving system improvements.

What We Can Offer You:

• Our benefits include, but are not limited to;

• Flexible working and holiday entitlements

• Discounted childcare

• Quarterly Employee Appreciation Weeks

• Annual gala award evening

• Fantastic range of discounts on high street retailers, grocery stores, cinema tickets, holidays and more

• Wide range of wellbeing resources, supporting our teams for the ups and downs of daily life

Why Bright Horizons?

Our support functions enable our nurseries to deliver the best possible care and education to over 10,000 children across the UK. Through this support, our nurseries can deliver excellence – with 98% of our 270+ portfolio being rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

We’re on a mission to change the future for children, families, and the people we work with, and are committed to progressive working values like flexibility, work-life balance, and wellbeing.

Key Accountabilities:

Act as the UK T&A lead for all T&A related operating processes and ensure key activities are completed accurately and on time, including annual leave loads, exception reporting and regular testing.

Provide specialist advice on complex T&A matters, including training and support to managers and UKG users as needed, including managing the Halo support ticket inbox.

Ensure T&A activity supports accurate downstream Payroll processing, testing exports regularly and working closely with the Payroll Operations Lead to ensure smooth data flow.

Design, lead and maintain training for the T&A system, including onboarding sessions, E-learning, and pre-recorded sessions to support the ongoing learning needs of the business.

Identify, assess and proactively manage T&A risks, ensuring case details are shared and escalated as necessary with the support of the Payroll Manager as needed.

Challenge processes or practices where they create risk, inefficiency or poor employee experience and work with Payroll to minimise downstream impacts from T&A errors

Ensure T&A issues are resolved accurately and within agreed timescales.

Identify recurring employee pain points and address their root causes, and ensure T&A processes and training offered are designed around a positive and consistent employee experience.

Essential Experience:

Strong experience and technical understanding in Time & Attendance/HRIS systems, with a good understanding of end-to-end T&A processes and their impact on Payroll (UK/Workday preferred)

Experience identifying root causes, resolving complex T&A issues and implementing sustainable solutions.

Experience translating business requirements into practical T&A process or system solutions.

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence decisions.

Experience in coaching and mentoring, including giving constructive feedback.

Desirable Experience:

Additional experience that would be beneficial but not essential. Nice to have skills or background or experience that could support fast development in the role.

Qualifications:

Formal qualifications required or preferred for the role, you can mark these as essential or desirable.

Tips: Only include qualifications if they are genuinely required. Avoid using qualifications as a proxy for experience

Personal Attributes:

Demonstrates consistent behaviours aligned with our HEART principles, acting with Honesty, Excellence, Accountability and Respect in all interactions, decisions and ways of working.

Able to take responsibility and ownership for outcomes, with the ability to ***

Actively looks for risks, inefficiencies and opportunities to improve processes, systems and the employee experience

Builds effective relationships across HR, Payroll, Finance, HR Systems and external partners to achieve shared outcomes

Builds capability across the team through coaching, guidance and effective documentation.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.

Proud to be a Great Place to Work for 20 years.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.

Proud to be a Great Place to Work for 20 years.

We look forward to receiving your application!