Payroll Manager

Experienced in Large-Scale Payroll? This Leadership Role Could Be Your Next Move

Payroll Manager - High-Volume, Fast-Paced EnvironmentLocation: Southampton
Salary: Competitive - dependent on experience
Employment Type: Full-time, permanent
Experienced in large-scale payroll? This Payroll Manager leadership role could be your next move. Drive change, lead a team, and own high-volume payroll delivery.
Your new roleA fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced Payroll Manager to lead a busy, high-volume payroll function. This role would suit someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys improving processes, and combines strong leadership with hands-on operational expertise.You'll be responsible for managing the payroll team (4 direct reports), ensuring weekly pay cycles run smoothly and accurately, and driving continuous improvement across systems, workflows, and data processes. This is a key operational role with significant influence over the reliability, scalability, and overall quality of payroll delivery.
Key Responsibilities

Lead, mentor and support a payroll team, encouraging accountability, professionalism, and collaboration.

Oversee daily workload allocation and performance, while stepping in to support processing during peak periods.

Manage and contribute to end-to-end high volume weekly (& smaller monthly) payroll

Process and validate timesheets, shifts, variable pay, statutory payments, deductions and holiday accruals.

Investigate and resolve complex queries quickly, ensuring clear communication to all stakeholders.

Support system integrations between payroll and finance.

Ensure all activity meets current UK payroll legislation, audit standards, and internal control frameworks.

Prepare for, and contribute to, internal and external audits.

Evaluate existing workflows and identify opportunities to automate and streamline processes.

Develop and maintain clear SOPs that drive consistency and minimise risk.

Act as senior escalation point for complex payroll queries.

Produce and develop reporting on payroll performance, accuracy, exception trends, and team capacity.

Provide insight and recommendations to support operational planning and strategic decision-making.

What you'll need to succeed

Significant experience in high-volume payroll environments.

Strong working knowledge of payroll systems, including configuration or optimisation exposure.

Deep understanding of UK payroll legislation and compliance frameworks.

Proven experience leading a payroll team while remaining hands-on with processing.

Experience within invoice financing would be advantageous.

Exposure to workflow redesign, automation or payroll system migration.

What you'll get in returnYou'll get a generous starting salary based on your experience, and you will be part of a successful, rapidly growing organisation. Generous benefits including:

Company pension

Discounted gym membership

Life insurance

Employee discount scheme

Health & wellbeing programme

Cycle-to-work scheme

Regular company events

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

On-site parking

What you need to do nowIf you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career. #