Senior Payroll Specialist


Company:	Hays Specialist Recruitment
Salary:	£20 to £25 an hour
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Manchester, M1 4BT
Working pattern:	Hybrid - 2 days remote
Job type:	Temporary
Posting date:	18 Sept 2026
Closing date:	25 Sept 2026

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Summary

Your new company

As a Payroll Specialist, you will act as a subject-matter expert within the payroll team, supporting the delivery of multiple payrolls and ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time.

You will work closely with HR, Finance, Pensions, Systems and other stakeholders to manage complex payroll processes, maintain compliance with legislation, support payroll projects and system enhancements, and contribute to continuous service improvements.

The role requires exceptional attention to detail, strong technical payroll knowledge, and the ability to manage competing priorities within a deadline-driven environment.

Your new role

Deliver accurate end-to-end payroll processing within a large, complex, in-house payroll function.

Process high volumes of payroll transactions while maintaining exceptional levels of accuracy.

Manage complex payroll cases and act as an escalation point for payroll-related queries and issues.

Ensure compliance with UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, statutory payments, pensions, and associated regulations.

Support the processing of payroll changes including contractual amendments, absences, variable payments, deductions, and other employee life cycle events.

Complete payroll reconciliations, statutory submissions, reporting, and year-end activities.

Produce payroll reports, management information, and performance metrics.

Support payroll system testing, upgrades, and process improvement initiatives.

Maintain payroll controls, documentation, and audit-ready processes.

Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and external providers to ensure payroll accuracy and service excellence.

Coach and support colleagues, sharing payroll expertise and helping to develop capability within the team

The ideal candidate will have the following:

Significant experience within a high-volume payroll environment.

Proven experience delivering end-to-end payroll processing in-house.

Strong working knowledge of UK payroll legislation, PAYE, National Insurance, pensions, statutory payments, and HMRC reporting requirements.

Experience managing complex payroll calculations and resolving payroll discrepancies.

Ability to work accurately under pressure and meet strict payroll deadlines.

Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organisational skills.

Experience producing payroll reports and management information.

Strong stakeholder management and customer service skills.

Advanced attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.

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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