Payroll & Benefits Manager

Location: Tower Bridge, 5x days a week onsite

The Opportunity

A highly respected international professional services organisation is seeking an experienced Payroll & Benefits Manager to take ownership of its payroll, pensions, commissions, and employee benefits function.

This is a standalone role offering significant autonomy and variety, ideal for a technically strong payroll professional who enjoys managing complex payroll processes while acting as the subject matter expert across benefits, pensions, compliance, and reporting.

The successful candidate will oversee UK payroll operations and employee benefits administration while collaborating with colleagues and external providers across multiple international locations. As the organisation continues to grow, there will be opportunities to support additional jurisdictions and contribute to the ongoing development of payroll and benefits processes.

The Role

Reporting to the senior HR leadership team, the Payroll & Benefits Manager will be responsible for the end-to-end management of payroll and benefits administration, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and a first-class employee experience.

Key responsibilities include:

Payroll Management

• Managing the full monthly payroll cycle for UK employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with HMRC requirements.
• Processing starters, leavers, salary changes, promotions, contractual amendments, and ad hoc payments.
• Administering statutory payments including SSP, SMP, SPP, and Shared Parental Pay.
• Producing and submitting RTI returns and supporting year-end processes, including P60s and P11Ds.
• Reconciling payroll data and partnering with Finance to ensure accurate reporting and payroll accounting.
• Maintaining robust payroll records and ensuring GDPR compliance.
• Coordinating international payroll activities with local providers and HR contacts where required.

Commission & Variable Pay Administration

• Managing commission and bonus payments for revenue-generating employees across multiple international locations.
• Working closely with senior stakeholders and Finance teams to validate and reconcile commission data.
• Ensuring accurate calculation, approval, and timely payment of variable remuneration.
• Maintaining robust audit trails and resolving commission-related queries.

Benefits in Kind (BIK)

• Taking ownership of Benefits in Kind administration and reporting.
• Managing taxable benefits, including private medical insurance, allowances, and other employee benefits.
• Supporting payrolling of benefits and preparing annual P11D and P11D(b) submissions.
• Providing expert guidance on tax implications relating to employee benefits.

Pension Administration

• Managing pension administration in line with auto-enrolment legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Processing pension contributions and enrolments accurately and within statutory deadlines.
• Handling employee pension queries and liaising with pension providers.
• Supporting re-enrolment exercises and broader pension governance activities.

Private Medical Insurance & Benefits

• Managing the organisation’s private medical insurance scheme, including partner and dependent cover.
• Acting as the key point of contact for benefit providers and brokers.
• Administering a range of employee benefits, including life assurance, income protection, employee assistance programmes, and wellbeing initiatives.
• Ensuring benefits are administered accurately and reflected appropriately within payroll and HMRC reporting.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensuring ongoing compliance with payroll legislation, pensions regulation, and HMRC requirements.
• Producing payroll and benefits reports for HR and Finance stakeholders.
• Monitoring legislative changes and recommending updates to policies and processes where required.

About the Candidate

The organisation is seeking a confident and detail-oriented payroll professional who can operate independently, manage multiple priorities, and build effective relationships across the business.

Essential Experience

• At least five years’ experience within payroll and benefits, including experience at management level.
• Proven ownership of end-to-end payroll for a UK workforce of 100+ employees.
• Strong experience managing commission and variable pay processes.
• Excellent knowledge of HMRC requirements, RTI submissions, statutory payments, and payroll year-end activities.
• Experience managing Benefits in Kind, including P11Ds and payrolled benefits.
• Strong understanding of pension auto-enrolment, pension administration, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience administering private medical insurance and wider employee benefits programmes.
• Exceptional attention to detail and numerical accuracy.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience using payroll and HR systems; exposure to ADP would be advantageous.

Desirable

• CIPP qualification or working towards one.
• Experience within financial services, professional services, or a similarly fast-paced environment.
• Exposure to international payroll coordination across multiple jurisdictions.
• Knowledge of regulated business environments.

What’s on Offer?

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Hybrid working arrangement.
• Private medical insurance.
• Employer pension contributions.
• Life assurance.
• Income protection.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Eyecare support.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• The opportunity to join a globally successful organisation in a highly visible and autonomous role.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll professional looking to take ownership of a broad payroll and benefits function within a dynamic, international business.