As a Payroll & Benefits Manager in the healthcare industry, based in Warrington, you'll oversee payroll operations and employee benefits administration, ensuring everything runs smoothly and accurately. This role is key to maintaining efficient processes and providing support for employees across the organisation. You will be delving deeper into transforming their benefits platform from start to finish.
Client Details
A healthcare organisation located in Warrington.
Description
Payroll management
Take full ownership and accountability for the end-to-end monthly payroll process for approximately 700 UK-based employees.
Act as the organisation's payroll subject matter expert and primary point of contact for all payroll-related matters.
Ensure payroll is processed accurately, compliantly and on time each month.
Lead detailed payroll checks, audits, reconciliations and approval processes before submission and payroll release.
Work closely with Finance to ensure payroll accuracy, effective financial controls, appropriate segregation of duties and senior stakeholder sign-off.
Maintain compliance with UK payroll legislation, EU pay transparency, HMRC requirements, pension regulations and statutory obligations.
Lead annual payroll activities including P60s, P11Ds, year-end processing and statutory reporting.
Maintain payroll policies, procedures, audit documentation and evidence of controls.
Keep abreast of legislative changes and implement required process updates.
Pay review, reward and job architecture
Manage the annual pay review process, including data preparation, manager guidance, modelling, governance, approvals and payroll implementation.
Support bonus, incentive and recognition processes, ensuring accurate administration and alignment with payroll requirements.
Maintain and support the governance of the organisation's job architecture framework, including job families, role levels, grading structures and role data.
Support job evaluation, role mapping and pay governance activity to improve consistency, internal equity and transparency across the organisation.
Produce salary benchmarking, pay positioning and market analysis to inform reward decisions and organisational planning.
Provide recommendations on reward trends, pay governance and workforce cost implications to the People Leadership Team and senior stakeholders.
Ensure pay, role and reward data is maintained accurately across HR, payroll and reporting systems.
Benefits management
Manage the administration and continuous improvement of the organisation's employee benefits portfolio.
Act as the primary relationship manager for benefits brokers, payroll system providers and external benefit suppliers.
Administer benefits including Private Medical Insurance, Life Assurance, pension schemes, Cycle to Work Scheme, Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme and wellbeing or reward benefits.
Coordinate annual benefit renewals, market reviews, provider meetings and supplier negotiations.
Analyse benefits utilisation, colleague feedback and market trends, making recommendations to improve the employee value proposition.
Ensure benefits are administered accurately and integrated effectively with payroll processes.
Provide expert advice and support to colleagues regarding payroll, reward and benefits queries.
Reporting, governance and compliance
Own the production, accuracy and governance of payroll, reward, benefits and people-related reporting across the organisation.
Produce regular reporting on headcount, turnover, absence, payroll costs, salary movements, benefits utilisation, workforce trends and other key People metrics.
Develop and maintain executive dashboards and reporting packs for senior leaders, ensuring insight is clear, timely and action orientated.
Lead annual Gender Pay Gap reporting and provide supporting analysis, commentary and recommendations.
Support budgeting, forecasting and workforce planning through accurate workforce cost data and analysis.
Ensure payroll, reward, benefits and workforce data complies with relevant legislation, GDPR requirements and internal controls.
Support internal and external audits relating to payroll, benefits, reward and People reporting.
Identify, assess and mitigate payroll, reward and benefits-related risks, maintaining robust governance documentation.
Systems and continuous improvement
Maximise the effectiveness of HR, payroll, benefits and reporting systems to improve efficiency, colleague experience and data accuracy.
Act as a key stakeholder in payroll, benefits, HRIS and reward systems enhancement projects.
Support the implementation of new payroll systems, ensuring effective planning, testing, data migration, stakeholder engagement and transition into business-as-usual processes.
Identify opportunities to streamline, automate and simplify processes across payroll, benefits, reward and reporting.
Profile
Essential experience
Proven experience managing end-to-end UK payroll with full responsibility for payroll delivery.
Experience operating as the lead or sole payroll specialist within an organisation.
Strong experience administering employee benefits and managing external providers.
Experience managing annual pay review processes, including data preparation, governance and payroll implementation.
Experience supporting job architecture, grading, job evaluation or role mapping frameworks.
Experience producing payroll, reward, benefits and workforce analytics for senior leaders.
Experience conducting salary benchmarking and market pay analysis.
Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, taxation, pensions and statutory requirements.
Experience managing payroll controls, reconciliations, audit processes and approval frameworks.
Experience working closely with Finance teams and senior stakeholders.
Experience delivering process improvements, systems enhancements or transformation initiatives.
Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Ability to manage competing priorities independently and take ownership of outcomes.
Essential knowledge and skills
Comprehensive understanding of UK payroll legislation and compliance requirements.
Strong knowledge of employee benefits administration and reward principles.
Good understanding of pay governance, job architecture and job evaluation methodologies.
Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with HRIS, payroll and reporting systems.
Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret complex data and present clear, meaningful insight.
Excellent organisational and project management skills.
Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
Commercial awareness and understanding of workforce cost drivers.
High levels of discretion and ability to manage confidential information.
Proactive approach to problem-solving, innovation and continuous improvement.
Desirable
Membership of, or qualification through, the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP).
Experience of administering or working with NHS pensions, including the NHS Pension Scheme.
Experience supporting reward, benefits or people systems projects.
Experience within a healthcare, regulated or multi-site environment.
Job Offer
If you're interested in this role, apply now.
People are at the heart of Michael Page. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. As an inclusive recruiter we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. If you require any adjustments or accommodations during the recruitment process, we'll work with you to ensure you can perform at your best.
