Payroll & Benefits Manager

Overview

must be able to work onsite in our Hammersmith office 3 days/week

As Payroll & Benefits Manager
, you will be responsible for delivering accurate, compliant, and employee-focused payroll and benefits experience for our UK team, while overseeing payroll and benefits programmes in our other international offices. You will act as a trusted partner to Global HR colleagues, employees, payroll and benefits vendors, and external providers, ensuring UK programmes comply with legislation, are scalable, and follow best practices, while maintaining relationships with local payroll and benefits providers in our international offices.

This is also an opportunity to help choose systems and build processes.

• Own end-to-end payroll administration for the UK, including payroll processing, audits, reconciliations, and resolution of payroll queries and issues
• Ensure payroll compliance and delivery of all statutory reporting requirements, including PAYE, National Insurance, RTI submissions, year-end activities, and other UK-specific obligations
• Research, evaluate, and implement a suitable payroll processing tool and supporting processes for the UK market
• Manage relationships with external payroll providers (Safeguard) across international markets, where applicable
• Maintain the accuracy and timeliness of payroll data, with strong internal controls and ongoing audit readiness
• Lead statutory and regulatory reporting activities, including Gender Pay Gap reporting

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee benefits administration and day-to-day employee queries
• Manage the UK benefits programme, including enrolments, renewals, vendor relationships, and annual benefits negotiations
• Lead the annual benefits selection window, including employee communications, education materials, and system updates
• Manage leave of absence programmes, ensuring compliance with UK employment legislation and statutory requirements, including family-related leave and statutory pay obligations
• Monitor and communicate legal and regulatory changes impacting benefits and leave programmes
• Provide oversight of benefits programmes for other international offices, working with local providers and internal stakeholders as required

• Generate offer letters and employment contracts for new hires in compliance with UK employment legislation
• Complete right-to-work checks and maintain accurate documentation for all employees
• Partner with HR and hiring managers to ensure a smooth and compliant onboarding experience
• Facilitate offboarding processes, including final documentation, and compliance with legal and company requirements

• Own HRIS (ADP) system administration for all employee transactions
• Maintain accurate employee data across payroll, benefits, and HRIS
• Produce people analytics and compliance reports, analysing trends and providing insights to stakeholders

• Support compensation-related components, including incentive plans, allocations, and data accuracy

• Passionate about payroll and benefits, and delivering an exceptional employee experience
• Highly organised and detail-oriented, with a strong commitment to data accuracy and compliance
• Comfortable juggling multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Service-oriented, empathetic, and patient, with a high-touch, client-service mindset
• Proactive and forward-thinking, with the ability to evaluate and improve operational practices
• Trusted to handle sensitive information with discretion and integrity

• 5+ years of experience in payroll and benefits administration, including managing UK leave of absence programmes and compliance with statutory requirements
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll, employee benefits, and employment legislation
• Experience with payroll processing tools, and benefits programme oversight
• Strong analytical, reporting, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders across all levels

Last, but not least, we believe in diversity, equity, and…