Head of Pensions and Payroll

Are you an experienced payroll and pensions leader ready to shape and deliver a first-class service at scale? Our client is seeking a dynamic Head of Payroll & Pensions to oversee payroll operations and the pension administration service for a workforce of over 22,000 employees.

This is a pivotal role, responsible for providing strategic vision, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring efficient, accurate, and compliant delivery across multiple complex pension schemes. You will lead a large, dedicated team and champion their development-ensuring high engagement, capability, and service excellence.

• Lead and manage payroll operations and pension administration for 22,000+ staff
• Provide strategic direction, identifying and driving process and system enhancements
• Build strong relationships with senior internal stakeholders to support organisational goals
• Ensure effective governance, compliance, and risk management across multiple pension schemes
• Develop, mentor, and support the payroll and pensions team to achieve operational excellence

You will be a proven, senior-level leader with:

• Extensive experience managing large-scale payroll operations and high-volume processing
• Demonstrated experience overseeing a pension administration service
• Strong track record of leading organisational change and service improvement
• Confidence in managing relationships at executive and board level
• Passion for developing people, teams, and best‑practice processes
• Expeirence within the education sector is desirable

This is an exciting opportunity to make a measurable impact and help shape the future of payroll and pensions within a highly complex organisation.

If you're a forward-thinking professional who thrives in a fast-paced, progressive environment, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now to take the next step in your leadership career.

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