Job Description
Senior Payroll Advisor
Department: Payroll
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Romford
Reporting To: Payroll Supervisor
Compensation: £35,000 - £40,000 / year
The Senior Payroll Advisor is a client-facing role at one of the UK's leading professional services firms. You'll take ownership of a portfolio of complex, high-frequency client payrolls spanning multiple sectors, including payrolled benefits, share schemes, Teachers' Pensions, complex pension arrangements, and international assignments. You won't just be processing payroll; you'll be the technical authority your clients and colleagues rely on. Expect to advise, mentor, problem-solve, and shape how the payroll bureau operates. If you're an experienced payroll professional who thrives on complexity and wants a role where your expertise genuinely matters, this is worth reading on.
Romford-based with hybrid working, just one day a week in the office. Easily commutable via the Elizabeth line from central and east London, and across Essex.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage end-to-end payrolls across weekly, monthly, and annual cycles for complex multi-site client portfolios, including payrolled benefits, share schemes, Teachers' Pensions, and expatriate payrolls
- Handle variable and complex pay structures across multiple sites, brands, and legal entities, each with different pay rules and management structures
- Manage all HMRC correspondence, RTI submissions, statutory filings, and year-end processes including P60 production and reconciliations
- Administer auto-enrolment and complex pension schemes in line with The Pensions Regulator requirements
- Operate IRIS Payroll Professional at an advanced level; support system implementations, parallel runs, and new client onboarding
- Advise clients confidently on holiday pay, Working Time Regulations, and statutory payments for irregular earnings
- Mentor and develop junior team members and contribute to best practice across the bureau
- Act as a trusted senior point of contact for clients, resolving complex issues proactively and clearly
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
- Minimum 3 years' payroll processing experience, ideally in a bureau or client-facing professional services environment
- Strong, current knowledge of UK payroll legislation, auto-enrolment, complex pensions, and statutory compliance
- Experience with expatriate, international, and multi-entity payrolls
- Advanced proficiency in IRIS Payroll Professional
- Confident managing client relationships and complex payroll queries independently
- Strong Excel skills including formulas for data analysis and reporting
- Excellent communicator, able to translate technical detail into clear, practical advice
- CIPP qualification is a definite advantage, though not essential
Job Benefits
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Salary: Transparent pay framework & promotion opportunities to recognise your contributions and performance.
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Generous Annual Leave Enjoy 25 days plus three days off at Christmas.
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Flexible Working: We're committed to a positive work-life balance, offering a hybrid working policy that prioritises your well-being and flexibility.
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Comprehensive Wellbeing Support Private Health Insurance, Access to Digicare+, Employee Assistance Programme, and more!
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Professional Subscriptions: Invest in your growth and development.
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Inclusive Employer: Be part of a diverse team with equity, inclusion, and flexibility at the core
For full details of the role, please download the full job description.
