Payroll Specialist/Lead
| Posting date: | 10 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £38,000.0 to £40,000.0 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Up to £40,000 |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 17 March 2026 |
| Location: | Manchester, Greater Manchester, M14BT |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Hays Specialist Recruitment |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 4778369_1773162351 |
Summary
Your new company
This global media/technology business is seeking an experienced payroll specialist to start immediately, with a head office base in the city centre of Manchester and flexible hybrid working (one day in the office). This role is a part-time position working 32 hours per week, with the opportunity to work on any days of the week.
Your new role
In this role, you'll take full ownership of end‑to‑end payroll operations across several international locations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and a smooth payroll cycle. You'll work closely with internal teams and external partners to deliver timely and accurate payroll, resolve technical issues, and support improvements in processes and systems. As the go‑to contact for payroll queries, you'll provide guidance, maintain strong working relationships, and ensure colleagues receive a reliable and responsive service. You'll also support audits and stay on top of legislative changes to ensure ongoing compliance.
Key responsibilities include:
- Managing end‑to‑end payroll for multiple countries, including all statutory calculations and submissions.
- Overseeing payroll operations using ADP and working directly with ADP to resolve issues and implement updates.
- Ensuring compliance with relevant payroll legislation and reporting requirements.
- Processing payroll adjustments, bonuses, overtime, and deductions with a high level of accuracy.
- Identifying potential payroll issues early and escalating them as needed.
- Collaborating with People and Finance teams to validate data and provide insights.
- Acting as the primary point of contact for payroll queries from employees and colleagues.
- Supporting internal and external audits with accurate documentation and records.
What you'll need to succeed
You'll bring solid experience managing payroll, ideally across multiple regions, with a strong understanding of UK legislation and an ability to handle complexity with confidence. Experience with ADP is highly beneficial, along with strong Excel capability and excellent communication skills. You'll be someone who is organised, detail‑oriented, and skilled at working collaboratively in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
You should have:
- Extensive experience in payroll operations, preferably in an international context.
- Strong knowledge of UK payroll
- Experience using ADP or similar payroll systems.
- Excellent communication skills across all levels of the business.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- A proactive, collaborative mindset.
- Intermediate to advanced Excel skills
What you need to do now
If 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.
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