Payroll Manager

Interim Payroll & Employee Payments Lead – Contract

Location: London (Hybrid)
Contract length: 6 months
Rate: £529.54 per day (Umbrella only)
IR35: Inside

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced Interim Payroll & Employee Payments Lead to support a large public sector organisation during a critical period of payroll and ERP change.

This is a senior oversight role focused on governance, assurance, and compliance within an in‑house payroll environment. It is not a payroll processing or data‑entry position.

About you
Suitable candidates will demonstrate:

• Senior experience leading in‑house payroll functions in large organisations
• Hands‑on SAP and SuccessFactors payroll experience (essential)
• Public sector background with strong governance awareness
• Detailed payroll knowledge including HMRC compliance, PSA, and year‑end processes
• Experience overseeing complex payroll structures (weekly, four‑weekly, and/or monthly)
• Experience supporting ERP or payroll system transitions, including data validation phases

The role
You will be responsible for maintaining payroll stability, accuracy, and compliance while supporting a live SAP to SuccessFactors transition. The role provides senior leadership, oversight of validation activity, and escalation management during a high‑pressure operational period.

Key responsibilities

• Provide senior oversight of payroll and employee payments services
• Support a structured data validation programme
• Ensure statutory, HMRC, and governance compliance
• Act as escalation point for payroll risks and issues
• Work closely with system implementation partners and internal teams
• Maintain quality controls across employee payments

How to apply
Please apply with your CV, clearly outlining your SAP, SuccessFactors, and public sector payroll leadership experience.