Assistant Payroll Manager

Your new company

Our client, a global manufacturing organisation, is seeking an experienced Assistant Payroll Manager to join their team on a 6-month fixed-term contract. This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established payroll function during a particularly busy period and make an immediate impact within a fast-paced environment.Working closely with the Payroll Manager, you will play a key role in delivering an accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll service across multiple UK sites. Ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time, payroll legislation and HMRC requirements are adhered to, and continuous improvements are driven across payroll processes.
Working hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm (37.hours per week)
Location: Wantage (Fully office-based)
Start Date: ASAP

Your new role

• Assist in the delivery of end-to-end monthly UK & EMEA payrolls for c.500 employees across multiple sites, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
• Process and review all payroll inputs, including salary adjustments, overtime, bonuses, deductions, pensions, auto-enrolment, and statutory payments.
• Review and validate payroll data through detailed reconciliations, variance analysis, and control account balancing.
• Produce payroll-related reports, journals, and support financial control processes.
• Act as a key point of contact for payroll queries, proactively investigating and resolving discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Ensure full compliance with UK payroll legislation, including HMRC regulations, RTI submissions, and annual processes such as P60s and P11Ds.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date payroll records, ensuring robust audit trails and data integrity across payroll systems (e.g. ADP, Sage, Workday, SAP).
• Contribute to payroll system enhancements, upgrades, testing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide ongoing support, coaching, and guidance to payroll team members.
• Deputy to the Payroll Manager, supporting the oversight and smooth running of payroll operations when required.

What you'll need to succeed

• Prior experience in senior payroll position
• Previous supervisory or team support experience is advantageous.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, tax, NIC, and HMRC requirements
• Experience working with payroll systems (e.g. ADP, Workday, Sage, SAP)
• Strong Excel and data analysis skills
• Ideally, experience in high-volume or multi-site payroll environments
• Excellent attention to detail and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work accurately under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Payroll Qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Fluent in other languages is advantageous.

What you'll get in return

• Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 (dependent on experience)
• 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
• Performance-based bonus
• Pension scheme
• Paid overtime
• Flexible start and finish times
• Private medical care
• On-site parking
• Access to training programmes.
• Study support is considered on a case-by-case basis.
• On-site company gym & social events.

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.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at (url removed)