Head of Payroll

Location: Central London

Salary: £60,000-£80,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Working Pattern: Hybrid (3 days in the office) until January 2027, moving to 100% office-based thereafter.

We are partnering with a well-established, multi-site consumer business to appoint their first Head of Payroll.

This is a rare opportunity to establish and lead an in-house payroll function for a recognised British brand as it transitions away from an outsourced payroll provider. Reporting directly to the Finance Director, with a dotted line into the Head of HR, you will take full ownership of payroll strategy and operations, leading the implementation of a new payroll system while building robust processes, controls and governance to support the future growth of the business.

Initially, this will be a hands-on role, with responsibility for the day-to-day delivery of payroll. However, the organisation is looking for a senior payroll professional who can provide strategic direction, influence senior stakeholders and build a best-in-class payroll function from the ground up.

If you're looking for an opportunity where you can genuinely make your mark and shape the future of payroll within a successful, growing organisation, this role offers exactly that.

The Role

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• Take full ownership of the payroll function, ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of end-to-end payroll for approximately 200 employees.
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• Process payroll for a combination of permanent employees and self-employed workers, including commissions, variable pay and TRONC arrangements.
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• Lead the transition from an outsourced payroll model to a fully in-house payroll function.
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• Evaluate, select and oversee the implementation of a new payroll system, working closely with the Finance Director.
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• Develop and implement robust payroll processes, controls and governance frameworks to support business growth.
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• Act as the organisation's payroll subject matter expert, providing guidance on payroll legislation, compliance and best practice.
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• Partner closely with Finance, HR and operational teams to ensure payroll integrates seamlessly across the business.
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• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and driving continuous improvement.
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• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through automation, process optimisation and technology.
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• Ensure payroll remains fully compliant with current legislation, HMRC requirements and internal policies.
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About You

To be successful in this role, you'll ideally have:

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• Significant end-to-end payroll experience, operating at Payroll Manager, Head of Payroll or equivalent level.
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• Experience leading or playing a significant role in bringing payroll in-house or implementing a payroll system.
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• A strong understanding of payroll legislation, governance, controls and compliance.
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• Previous experience within a multi-site environment, ideally across retail, hospitality, leisure, beauty or another customer-facing business.
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• Experience processing payroll involving commissions, variable pay and/or TRONC.
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• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence senior leadership.
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• A strategic mindset, balanced with a willingness to remain hands-on where required.
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• A track record of improving payroll processes, controls and operational efficiency.
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• Strong leadership capability with the potential to develop and shape the payroll function as the business evolves.
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Benefits

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• Complimentary services.
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• Generous employee discount on products.
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• Company pension scheme.
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• 22 days' annual leave, increasing to 25 days with length of service, plus bank holidays.
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• Flexible working hours, with core office hours between 10:00am and 4:00pm.
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• The opportunity to build and lead an in-house payroll function from the ground up.
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• A highly visible role with genuine strategic influence across Finance and HR.
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• Long-term career progression within a successful and growing organisation.
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If you're an ambitious payroll leader looking for a unique opportunity to build, shape and lead an in-house payroll function while influencing payroll strategy across a well-known multi-site business, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply, please submit your CV or contact us for a confidential discussion.