Payroll Administrator

Location: On site / Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland
Job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Accounting & Finance Accounts Payable
Salary: Negotiable salary

Position

Role: Payroll Administrator

Role Overview

The Payroll Administrator supports the timely, accurate and compliant delivery of payroll across the UK and Ireland businesses, processing employee payments, maintaining payroll records and providing a responsive, professional service to employees, managers and external bodies.

Success is measured by consistently processed payrolls, prompt resolution of employee queries, audit ready records and on time statutory submissions.

Scope

• Business area / team: Payroll function within Finance / Shared Services, supporting the UK and Ireland businesses.
• Geography / sites: Loughrea office, supporting employees across multiple Glanua sites and offices in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA.
• Work type: End to end payroll administration including data input, validation, reconciliations, reporting and employee query resolution.
• Decision making / authority: Makes routine day to day decisions within clearly defined payroll processes; escalates anything unusual, complex or high risk to the Payroll Manager.
• Budget / resources: No budget responsibility; accountable for the accuracy and integrity of payroll data and outputs within assigned areas.

Reporting Line

• Reports to: Payroll Manager.
• Dotted line reporting: Works closely with Finance, HR and the wider Shared Services team.
• Key interfaces: Employees, line managers, Payroll Manager, HR, Finance, external payroll providers, Revenue, HMRC and pension providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the accurate and timely processing of weekly, fortnightly and monthly payrolls for employees across the UK and Ireland businesses.
• Input, validate and reconcile payroll data including starters, leavers, contractual changes, hours, overtime, bonuses, expenses and statutory payments.
• Carry out pre payroll and post payroll checks, including gross to net reviews and variance analysis, escalating anomalies to the Payroll Manager.
• Process statutory payments and deductions (e.g. PAYE, PRSI, USC, NI, pensions, court orders, attachments and benefits in kind) in line with UK and Irish requirements.

Compliance, Controls & Confidentiality

• Ensure payroll activities comply with all relevant national legal, fiscal and regulatory requirements in both Ireland and the UK.
• Support adherence to internal controls (including ICSP controls), segregation of duties and approved payroll policies and procedures.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee data and ensure full compliance with company and country data privacy rules at all times.
• Support the preparation of information required for internal and external audits and respond to audit queries in a timely manner.

Reporting & Reconciliations

• Prepare and support routine payroll reports, reconciliations and journal information for the Payroll Manager and Finance team.
• Assist with statutory returns and filings (e.g. Revenue and HMRC submissions, pension reporting and year end activities).

Employee & Stakeholder Support

• Act as a first point of contact for payroll queries from employees and managers, providing clear, professional and timely responses.
• Work closely with HR to ensure changes to employment terms, benefits and personal data are reflected accurately in payroll.
• Liaise with external providers (e.g. pension administrators, benefit providers and tax authorities) on routine matters under the guidance of the Payroll Manager.
• Support process design and improvement activities, contributing ideas to improve efficiency, accuracy and the employee experience.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of UK and Irish payroll legislation and best practice through ongoing learning and continuous professional development.
• Undertake other duties as reasonably required to support the delivery of an effective payroll service.

Required Skills & Experience

• Qualifications / certifications: Leaving Certificate or equivalent essential. A recognised payroll qualification (e.g. IPASS Certificate in Payroll Techniques, CIPP qualification or working towards one) is desirable.
• Relevant experience: 1-2 years' experience in a payroll, finance or HR administration role is desirable. Supporting Irish and/or UK payroll is particularly beneficial.
• Technical / functional skills: Working knowledge of payroll concepts and statutory deductions in Ireland and/or the UK (e.g. PAYE, PRSI, USC, NI, pensions and BIK); proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; familiarity with a payroll system (e.g. Megapay, CorePay, Sage, SAP or similar) is desirable.
• Behavioural skills: Strong attention to detail and a high standard of accuracy; well organised with good time management; clear written and verbal communication; discretion and respect for confidential information; collaborative team player with a positive, service focused approach.
• Other requirements: Eligibility to work in Ireland; office based role in Loughrea, Co. Galway; ability to meet payroll cut off deadlines and to handle peak processing periods.

Soft Skills & Personal Attributes

• Self Awareness: Reflects on personal impact and asks for feedback; acts on feedback and learns from mistakes; stays composed during routine pressure and busy payroll cycles.
• Communication & Collaboration: Communicates clearly and listens well; builds positive day to day working relationships with employees, HR, Finance and external contacts; tailors message and tone to different audiences.
• Accountability & Delivery: Owns commitments and follows through on assigned payroll tasks; solves straightforward problems and asks for help when needed; completes work to agreed standards and within payroll deadlines.
• Business & Strategic Awareness: Understands how accurate payroll supports employee experience and business performance; recognises basic cost, compliance and quality drivers; uses facts and evidence to support routine recommendations.
• Leading People: Sets clear expectations in own interactions; creates respect and participation in team interactions; adjusts style for different people and situations.
• Developing Others: Shares knowledge with colleagues and gives clear information when asked; provides practical feedback to help others complete tasks; encourages participation in learning and new experiences.
• Leading Change & Decisions: Explains what is changing and why it matters; recognises obvious risks and escalates promptly; understands basic trade offs between speed, quality and cost.

Sustainability & ESG Expectations

• Environmental impact: Support paper light, digital ways of working in payroll administration and minimise unnecessary printing and waste.
• Social impact: Ensure employees are paid accurately and on time, supporting financial wellbeing; treat all colleagues with respect, professionalism and inclusivity.
• Governance: Uphold the highest standards of integrity, confidentiality and data protection; comply with internal controls (including ICSP controls), payroll policies and statutory requirements in Ireland and the UK.
• Role specific expectations: Support a strong culture of compliance, accuracy and ethical behaviour across all payroll activities.

Benefits

• 23 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Competitive salary and benefits package aligned to market standards.
• Company laptop and phone.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - a confidential 24/7, 365 day counselling service available to employees and their families.