UK Payroll Specialist — 12-Month Contract

A&O Shearman; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A&O Shearman is seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our Belfast payroll team on a 12-month fixed-term contract. You will manage end-to-end UK payroll, including data validation, calculations, and timely payments for UK-based employees and contractors inside IR35.

Responsibilities include handling starters/leavers, changes, and statutory payments, maintaining HMRC compliance, and liaising with HR on queries. Proficiency with PeopleSoft/SD Worx and Power BI is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Proven experience processing UK payroll end-to-end.
• Strong knowledge of PAYE, NI, pensions auto-enrolment, RTI and year-end.
• Experience handling contractors payroll, including inside IR35.
• Familiarity with payroll systems (e.g., PeopleSoft and SD Worx) and basic reporting.

Responsibilities

• Process UK payroll from data collection through to outputs and payments.
• Handle payroll changes: starters, leavers, contractual changes, absences, overtime, deductions.
• Calculate statutory and occupational payments and deductions, including student loans and salary sacrifice.
• Administer payroll for contractors inside IR35 and HMRC notifications.
• Prepare payroll journals and reconcile payroll-related accounts.

Skills

UK payroll knowledge

Numerate

Attention to detail

MS Excel

Education

Payroll qualification (CIPP)

Tools

PeopleSoft HRIS

SD Worx payroll

Power BI

Microsoft Excel

Job description

A&O Shearman is seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our Belfast payroll team on a 12-month fixed-term contract. You will manage end-to-end UK payroll, including data validation, calculations, and timely payments for UK-based employees and contractors inside IR35.

Responsibilities include handling starters/leavers, changes, and statutory payments, maintaining HMRC compliance, and liaising with HR on queries. Proficiency with PeopleSoft/SD Worx and Power BI is advantageous.