UK Payroll Renewal Manager

We are seeking a UK Payroll Renewal Manager to lead the delivery of a major transformation programme to replace our existing payroll application.

As a UK Payroll Renewal Manager, you will be part of a collaborative team leading the delivery of a high-profile project, gaining valuable experience, developing new skills, and making a tangible impact on the future of UK Payroll.

The role will act as a key interface between Payroll, HR, Finance, IT, third-party system integrators, and other internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, prioritise, and coordinate team activities across payroll transformation and business-as-usual change.
• Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and support, ensuring clear ownership and delivery expectations.
• Review team outputs, develop capability, and act as an escalation point for complex issues and risks.
• Lead Payroll activities supporting implementation of the new payroll system.
• Manage requirements with internal stakeholders and third-party system integrators.
• Review and challenge system designs to ensure payroll, control, statutory, and end-user requirements are met.
• Develop strong system knowledge to support effective decision-making and delivery.
• Lead payroll changes through requirements, design, testing, approval, and deployment.
• Review and approve key project documentation and ensure appropriate governance and controls.
• Assess risks, establish mitigation actions, and support go/no-go decisions.
• Escalate significant risks, issues, and control concerns appropriately.
• Lead and coordinate Payroll testing and User Acceptance Testing.
• Ensure UAT provides appropriate coverage of payroll requirements and controls.
• Review testing evidence and oversee defect identification, prioritisation, and resolution.
• Assess significant defects and their potential payroll, financial, employee, and compliance impact.
• Coordinate project plans, priorities, resources, milestones, and dependencies across multiple change initiatives.
• Monitor progress, identify risks, and drive issues through to resolution.
• Ensure accurate project documentation and provide clear status reporting to management and stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships across Payroll, HR, Finance, IT, and external partners.
• Represent Payroll in project, design, and governance forums.
• Communicate complex payroll and technical requirements clearly to different audiences.
• Manage expectations and constructively challenge suppliers and project teams where required.
• Lead payroll process changes and identify opportunities for simplification, standardisation, and automation.
• Ensure changes maintain appropriate payroll and financial controls.
• Coordinate end-user engagement, deployment readiness, training, and supporting documentation.
• Oversee post-implementation support and lessons learned.

Qualifications:

• Experience of supervising, coaching, or providing day-to-day leadership to team members, project resources, or cross-functional workstreams.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, dependencies, and tight deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Advanced Excel skills with the ability to analyse, reconcile, and interpret complex data.
• Strong logical and process-orientated mindset.
• Strong control mindset with the ability to identify and manage financial, operational, and compliance risks.
• Ability to review and challenge requirements, system designs, testing outcomes, and proposed solutions.
• Experience of working effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners or suppliers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate confidently at all levels of the organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to challenge, influence, and escalate where appropriate.
• Ability to work autonomously, make informed decisions, and take accountability for delivery.
• Ability to maintain accuracy, judgement, and effective control while working under significant time pressure.
• Knowledge of UK payroll processes, statutory requirements, and payroll controls.
• Experience with enterprise Payroll/HR systems including SAP/Global View.
• Knowledge of Hourly Blue Book and Salary Handbook provisions would be advantageous.