People Systems and Payroll Manager

Role Overview

• Work collaboratively across the People Team to deliver an ambitious programme of work
• Lead and manage the People Systems and Payroll team, providing coaching, direction, and development
• Act as a role model and ambassador, delivering high-quality service to stakeholders
• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery
• Submit EPS, FPS, HMRC returns, and complete all year-end payroll activities
• Ensure compliance with UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements
• Oversee payroll data accuracy, including starters, leavers, and contractual changes
• Lead on payroll reporting, including gross-to-net, variance analysis, and executive sign-off
• Manage and optimise People systems (including IRIS Cascade and other platforms)
• Drive continuous improvement to maximise self-service and operational efficiency
• Identify opportunities to streamline data flows across systems
• Configure systems and workflows in line with policy, legislation, and best practice
• Lead on the development of People and payroll KPIs, dashboards, and management information
• Provide data-driven insights to support decision-making and workforce planning
• Deliver reporting across key People areas such as recruitment, EDI, and learning
• Work closely with Finance to ensure audit compliance and accurate accounting
• Manage relationships with payroll, benefits, and system providers
• Oversee pension scheme administration
• Support Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) in partnership with the Data team
• Ensure adherence to safeguarding, data protection, and health & safety policies
• Lead the annual pay review and support pay benchmarking activity
• Contribute systems expertise to People-related projects and initiatives

Requirements

• Extensive experience managing in-house payroll processes and reporting
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements
• Proven experience leading and developing a payroll or systems team
• Hands-on experience with HR systems (ideally IRIS Cascade) and associated platforms (ATS, benefits, appraisal systems)
• Strong analytical, numerical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience with payroll audits, reconciliations, and accounting processes
• Ability to configure systems and improve workflows
• Experience managing supplier relationships and contracts
• Strong reporting capability, including KPIs and Gender Pay Gap reporting
• Understanding of project management principles
• Experience supporting DSAR processes
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
• CIPP qualification (or equivalent experience)

Benefits

• We offer excellent staff benefits including a generous pension contribution
• An employee assistance programme
• Healthcare cash plan and volunteer leave
• 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays and an additional 3 days paid leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Buy additional annual leave
• Benefits discount website
• Death in service benefit 4 x salary
• Incapacity benefit
• Generous family leave and sick leave