Payroll Manager

Salary: £DOE

Hours: Full Time / 37.5 hours per week

Location: Hybrid (Remote/Northampton office)

Bright Horizons are looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to lead the end‑to‑end UK payroll operation. This role ensures accurate, timely, and fully compliant payroll processing for all employees, while taking ownership of payroll governance, legislative compliance, and the continuous improvement of payroll and time & attendance systems and processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end UK payroll function, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, including all statutory payments and deductions.
• Ensure full legislative compliance by maintaining up‑to‑date technical knowledge, testing changes, and communicating impacts clearly.
• Maintain strong payroll governance and internal controls in line with SOX requirements.
• Oversee payroll and time & attendance systems, ensuring accuracy, optimisation, and effective integration with HR and Finance platforms.
• Drive automation and efficiency, reducing manual processing and improving reporting and insight.
• Lead system upgrades, manage payroll suppliers, and own service‑level performance, working closely with US colleagues.
• Deliver payroll integration for acquisitions, ensuring smooth and compliant onboarding.
• Partner with stakeholders across the business to support organisational initiatives and continuous improvement.
• Provide expert payroll advice on policy changes, benefits, and reward structures.
• Act as the escalation point for complex payroll queries.
• Lead, develop, and engage a high‑performing payroll team, delivering best‑in‑class support.
• Serve as the primary contact for HMRC and external auditors on payroll matters.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience leading a UK payroll function within a medium–large organisation, operating under US SOX controls.
• Strong technical expertise in UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, and payroll control frameworks.
• Solid understanding of pension schemes, including auto‑enrolment and salary sacrifice.
• Highly analytical with advanced Excel and data‑driven problem‑solving skills.
• Experience leading, developing, and engaging high‑performing teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong customer focus and ability to build trust across the business.

Qualifications

• CIPP qualified.
• CIPD member (Associate level or above) or equivalent professional qualification.
• Minimum 5 GCSEs, including Maths and English.

Bright Horizons are committed to creating inclusive environments where everyone has a sense of belonging and has the opportunity to contribute and thrive in meaningful and impactful ways.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants. If you share our passion, values, and have most of the skills listed, we encourage you to apply – as you may be just what we are looking for! Please note, due to our sector all roles are subject to a criminal record check. Some of our roles require specific qualifications by law, this will be highlighted as essential within the advert.