Payroll Specialist

Guildford – Hybrid Working (3 Days On-Site)

We're supporting a well-established property business that is looking to appoint an experienced Payroll Specialist to join its finance function and take responsibility for a large, complex payroll.

This is a hands‑on position covering the full payroll lifecycle for 1,000+ employees across multiple entities . You'll work closely with Finance and HR, ensuring everything from payroll inputs and statutory deductions through to reconciliations and month‑end is accurate and delivered on time.

The Role

You'll be responsible for the day‑to‑day running of a sizeable monthly payroll, acting as a key point of contact for payroll queries and ensuring employee data, payments and deductions are processed correctly.

Alongside BAU payroll, you'll have the opportunity to improve existing processes, strengthen controls and get involved in future systems and automation projects . You'll also work alongside a Payroll & Benefits Administrator, providing support and guidance where required.

Key Responsibilities

• Process and manage the monthly payroll cycle for 1,000+ employees across multiple legal entities
• Check and validate payroll data including starters, leavers, salary changes, overtime, bonuses and deductions
• Process pensions, benefits and statutory payments in line with current UK payroll legislation
• Prepare and reconcile payroll journals, control accounts and statutory payments as part of month‑end
• Work closely with Finance and HR to investigate payroll differences and ensure employee information remains accurate
• Manage more complex payroll queries and resolve issues through to completion
• Review employee expenses and ensure claims are processed in line with company policy
• Maintain accurate payroll records, documentation and controls across the monthly cycle
• Support and guide the Payroll & Benefits Administrator with day‑to‑day payroll activity
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual work and improve payroll accuracy
• Get involved in future payroll system improvements and automation

What We're Looking For

• Strong hands‑on experience processing end‑to‑end UK payroll
• Experience working with a large or complex employee population
• Good knowledge of PAYE, pensions, statutory payments and UK payroll legislation
• Comfortable preparing and reviewing payroll journals, reconciliations and month‑end information
• Strong Excel skills, ideally including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP
• Experience using payroll, expenses or finance systems; SAP Concur, Opera or similar would be useful
• Comfortable supporting or providing guidance to more junior payroll colleagues
• Highly organised and able to work accurately against fixed monthly deadlines
• Strong attention to detail and comfortable working with sensitive employee information
• CIPP qualification or equivalent would be advantageous
• Proactive and interested in improving processes, systems and ways of working

Why Join?

This is a great opportunity for an experienced payroll professional who enjoys being hands‑on with the detail but also wants the scope to improve how things are done. You'll work across a sizeable payroll, have exposure to both Finance and HR and get involved in improving processes, controls and systems within an established organisation.

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