Job Title: Payroll Manager
Location: Ashford
Job Type: Full time (Hybrid - 2 days in the office/3 days at home)
Salary: Negotiable (dependent on experience)

We are looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to join our clients busy payroll function. This role suits a meticulous payroll professional with hands-on responsibility for contractor and temporary worker payroll, and a proven ability to lead automation and process improvements to enhance accuracy and efficiency.

Key responsibilities

• Supervise end to end payroll processing for employees, contractors and temporary staff, ensuring accurate, timely payments and statutory compliance.
• Manage and mentor a small payroll team, prioritising workloads and providing training and coaching.
• Reconcile payroll totals, resolve discrepancies and maintain payroll records and audit trails.
• Liaise with HR, Finance and external suppliers to manage onboarding, leavers, timesheets, expenses and contractor payments.
• Lead automation and process improvement initiatives: implement and maintain automation tools, maintain integrations between payroll and HR/finance systems, and develop efficiencies using workflow tools, macros or RPA where appropriate.
• Prepare management reports, month end activities and respond to payroll queries from internal stakeholders and contractors.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, tax and pension requirements; support year end processes.

Essential skills and experience

• Proven payroll experience, including direct responsibility for contractor and temporary staff payroll.
• Experience implementing or operating payroll automation (e.g., RPA, integrations, scripting, automated workflows) and a drive to improve processes through technology.
• Strong knowledge of payroll systems and data flows; confident working with payroll/HR/finance software and Excel.
• Excellent attention to detail, problem solving skills and the ability to work to deadlines.
• Good communication skills and experience working with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience supervising or leading a small team.