Senior Payroll & Benefits Specialist

The Role We are looking for a Senior Payroll Specialist to champion and elevate the payroll and benefits operations across our UK and Ireland businesses. You will drive the development, performance & ongoing maintenance of our reward activities. You will serve as the subject matter expert for our employees, ensuring they are paid accurately and have access to top-tier benefits - while handling administration of our benefits schemes, maintaining & renewing accounts and promoting the pensions and benefits provision across the organisation and leading on benefits projects and initiatives with the support of the R&B Manager. Payroll Management • Manage in-house UK & Ireland Payrolls for approximately 400 employees, including a modified payroll for UK expats. • Ensure compliance with current Revenue legislation and our corporate policies, which includes conducting regular audits on data & systems. • Assume responsibility for administering employment legislative changes and communicating these updates to the business. • Ensure that submissions for pension schemes, HMRC and other statutory bodies are correct and completed on time. • Reconcile monthly pension changes, submit final pension figures for payment and manage all auto enrolment responsibilities to remain compliant in the UK and Ireland. • Liaise and advise the HR team and other Stakeholders on payroll and payroll related benefit inputs to ensure deadlines are met. • Manage relationships with payroll providers to ensure staff are paid accurately and on time. • Work closely with finance to deliver monthly journals. • Research and resolve payroll discrepancies and errors in a timely manner. • Review current processes to maximise efficiency, with the intention to automate wherever possible. • Create, maintain, and regularly update process guides and flow charts for all payroll procedures, and provide training to wider HR teams to share knowledge and collaborate on system and policy updates. • Maintain documented SOP and train dedicated HR individuals to be able to run the payroll and benefits function during absences. Benefit Management • Take full responsibility for processing and reporting benefit changes (enrolments, changes and leavers) and reviewing benefit invoices and premiums. • Take sole responsibility for managing pension schemes, including required submissions, reporting and auditing. • Lead the promotion of benefit offerings to staff and support the R&B Manager in improving engagement levels with benefits offering. • Prepare all data for the annual benefit renewal process, working closely with benefit brokers to meet their requirements. • Regularly review and update intranet and policies with current benefit information. • Create and produce content for annual benefit engagement plans. • Provide monthly KPIs and research on benefits offered compared to the UK market to support proposals for future change. Other duties • Act as first point of contact for all payroll and benefit-related queries while managing the shared inbox. • Hold regular new starter induction meetings on Payroll and Benefits to ensure seamless onboarding. • Review and submit invoices to R&B Manager for approval and sending to finance for payment. • Manage annual payroll and benefit tasks, such as P11D’s/ payrolled benefits, P60’s and Gender Pay Gap reporting. • Support finance in the preparation of our PAYE settlement agreement. • Manage annual internal and external audits for payroll and benefits processes, alongside completion of regular pension audits and governance meetings. • Support R&B Manager with EUA annual salary and bonus review, as well as any payroll and benefit initiatives and projects assigned. • Responsible for UK & Ireland bi-annual budget preparation and monthly variance reporting • Collaborate with our International Mobility team regarding UK liabilities due for staff on secondment to and from the UK. • Manage UK reporting to stakeholders and HR team members on metrics including absence, turnover, pay variances and benefit engagement. • Hold open-door events at UK locations to engage with staff, promote offerings and answer benefit queries. • Carry out any other duties or projects assigned by the company. • Maintain flexibility regarding working hours in accordance with operational business needs to assist the department in meeting its KPIs The Requirements Essential: • ADP iHCM2 experience. • Significant experience working in UK Payroll and Benefits. Preferred: • Full CIPP Qualification preferred (or equivalent experience). • Previous experience running Irish payroll. • Previous experience running a modified payroll for expatriate employees. • Strong Google Suite experience. Competencies • Ability to work with confidential data and communicate in a clear, professional manner. • Strong communication and analytical skills. • A self-learner capable of keeping up to date with UK & Ireland Payroll and benefits legislation. • Excellent diary management with the ability to work to ongoing monthly deadlines and manage ad hoc projects. • Ability to work independently on own initiative, as well as collaboratively as part of the HR & Reward team. The Benefits • Paid annual leave of 25 days per annum plus UK bank & public holidays. • Hybrid working arrangement. • Membership of the Company’s Group Personal Pension Plan. • Performance Related Pay, a pay award and discretionary annual bonus linked directly to their performance in addition to annual review. • Permanent Health Insurance. • Death in Service. • Private Medical Cover (BUPA) after two years’ service. • Employee Assistance Programme, with free independent confidential support and virtual GP services. • An interest free annual travel season ticket loan. • Family leave policies enhanced above statutory. • Enhanced company sick pay policy. • Medical health check. • Annual eye test and contribution towards glasses for VDU prescriptions. • Online employee discount platform Application The closing date for this vacancy is 31st July 2026. Applicants must have an existing right to live and work in the UK.