Joining the Hakim Group means becoming part of a close-knit family of independent optical practices across the UK and Ireland.
A place where empowerment, innovation, and unwavering support create a truly fulfilling experience — a career that feels like joining a secret club of the happiest eye care professionals.
As we continue to grow, we’re looking for a Senior Payroll Specialist to help shape the future of how we reward and support our colleagues — ensuring every team member across the Group is paid correctly, on time, and with care.
In return for your expertise and commitment, we’re offering:• A competitive salary based on experience and impact.• Access to our employee health plan and financial flexibility fund• A rewards portal full of exclusive offers and benefits.• A vibrant calendar of team events and celebrations that bring our culture to life.
Most importantly, you’ll be part of a supportive, growing team where accuracy, care, and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do.
We’re on the lookout for a hands-on, detail-driven leader to oversee and continuously improve our payroll operations. This role is all about precision, leadership, and progress — ensuring our systems, people, and processes work seamlessly together to deliver excellence every single month.
As Senior Payroll Specialist, you’ll take ownership of day-to-day delivery while also driving forward long-term improvements. From implementing smarter workflows and automation to enhancing compliance and accuracy, you’ll help us create a payroll function that’s scalable, efficient, and ready for the future.
If you take pride in getting things right, love leading a capable team, and enjoy making complex processes simple, this could be the perfect next step in your career.
ABOUT OUR PAYROLL FUNCTION
Our payroll operation is significantly more complex than a traditional in-house payroll environment.
The team supports:
• Over 500 employing entities
• Approximately 375 PAYE references
• Simultaneous payroll processing across multiple companies
• UK payroll operations
• Republic of Ireland payroll
• Isle of Man payroll
• Guernsey payroll
• Jersey payroll
• Ongoing acquisitions and onboarding activity
• Multiple pension schemes and salary sacrifice arrangements
• HMRC audits and compliance activity
• Payroll transformation and automation projects through our Payroll 2030 strategy
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys complexity, thrives in a fast-paced environment and can confidently operate across multiple payroll disciplines.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead and oversee the monthly payroll cycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness across the Group.• Manage day-to-day operations, team performance, and workload planning.• Act as the main escalation point for complex queries, providing clear, supportive solutions.• Ensure all payroll activity complies with tax, pension, and employment legislation.• Drive process improvements and automation as part of our Payroll 2030 vision.• Coach and develop the Payroll & Benefits team, building capability and collaboration.• Collaborate with People, Finance, and external partners to resolve pay and benefits matters effectively.• Champion fairness, transparency, and data accuracy in all payroll processes.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
We’re looking for someone who brings both precision and leadership — someone who thrives on getting the details right while inspiring others to do the same.
Essential• Proven experience managing complex, high-volume, or multi-site payroll operations.• Strong understanding of pay, tax, pension, and employment law.• Hands-on experience with iTrent, Sage, and advanced Excel.• Leadership experience with the ability to motivate and develop teams.• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.• Meticulous attention to detail and commitment to continuous improvement.
Desirable• Experience leading payroll transformation or system implementation projects.• Knowledge of automation tools, AI, or payroll reporting technologies.• Experience within healthcare, retail, or professional services.
Click apply now and a member of our recruitment team will be in touch
GBP £0.00
GBP £0.00
Being an independent doesn’t mean that you have to go it alone.
The Hakim Group is the largest group of independent opticians in the UK and Ireland and is growing rapidly.
Over the past 15 years, the Group has developed a unique and innovative approach that has allowed independent practices to flourish, allowing them to maintain their unique individuality whilst enjoying the benefits of a back-office support system.
With an award-winning culture at the heart of its success, the Hakim Group was named as Sunday Times’ Best Company to Work For in 2018. In 2019, it was also named as the Scale Up Business of the Year at the national EY awards.
