UK Payroll Team Lead

activpayroll Ltd.; Aberdeen City; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

activpayroll Ltd. in Scotland is seeking a UK Payroll Team Lead to oversee day-to-day operations of the payroll function across a diverse client base. You’ll lead by example, combining technical payroll expertise with people leadership to deliver accurate and timely payroll services and drive continuous improvement.

In addition to leading the team, you’ll directly manage a selection of payrolls, maintaining hands-on involvement and ensuring high service quality for clients and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in UK payroll processing with leadership or supervisory exposure.
• CIPP qualification preferred and beneficial for governance and compliance.
• Proven ability to coach, develop and manage a payroll team.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate a team of payroll administrators to deliver accurate UK payrolls.
• Directly manage a portfolio of payrolls ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Act as escalation point for complex queries and client issues.
• Oversee workload allocation and governance reporting to maintain service levels.
• Coach and develop team members and participate in governance meetings.
• Review and sign off payrolls and related documentation.
• Monitor KPIs and drive process improvements and system enhancements.

Skills

Leadership

UK payroll processing

Stakeholder management

Excel analytics

Data analysis

Team coaching

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Excel

Payroll systems

Job description

UK Payroll Team Lead

Department: Operations

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Scotland

Reporting To: UK Payroll Operations Manager

Description

As a UK Payroll Team Lead, you’ll play a pivotal role in overseeing the day-to-day operations of our payroll function, ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of payroll services across a diverse client base. You’ll lead by example — combining technical expertise with people leadership to drive service excellence, support team development, and contribute to continuous improvement across the department.

In addition to leading the team, you’ll also manage a selection of payrolls directly, maintaining hands-on involvement and ensuring service quality

On a typical day you’ll be…

• Leading and coordinating a team of payroll administrators to deliver accurate, compliant, and timely UK payrolls
• Managing a portfolio of payrolls directly, ensuring high standards of accuracy, timeliness, and customer service
• Acting as an escalation point for complex payroll queries and client issues, ensuring swift and effective resolution
• Overseeing the allocation of client portfolios and workload across the team to ensure balanced capacity and consistent service delivery
• Supporting and coaching team members, providing regular feedback, mentoring, and development opportunities
• Hosting and contributing to client governance meetings, reviewing performance and identifying areas for improvement
• Reviewing and signing off payrolls, governance reports, and documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Monitoring service delivery KPIs and SLAs, identifying risks and proactively implementing mitigations
• Driving process improvements and supporting the implementation of new systems, tools, or ways of working
• Fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture

Does this sound like you?

• Strong experience in UK payroll processing, ideally with a CIPP qualification and experience in a leadership or supervisory role
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop a team in a fast-paced, service-driven environment
• Deep understanding of UK payroll legislation, compliance, and best practice
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills — confident in handling both client and internal conversations
• High attention to detail and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues
• Strong systems and Excel skills, with the ability to analyse data and drive insights
• A collaborative mindset, with a passion for continuous improvement and delivering exceptional service
• Comfortable balancing leadership responsibilities with hands-on delivery of payrolls