Payroll Specialist

We are currently seeking an interim Payroll Specialist, to work with our global FMCG client Unilever, renowned for brands such as Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple, and become an integral part of their fast-paced FMCG environment.

The position is based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. This is a full-time temporary role to run until the end of 2025, requiring 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Compensation for this role is competitive, paying up to 41,000 per annum, pro rata, depending upon experience.

The role involves managing the end to end UK & Ireland payroll processes, from ensuring that starters, leavers and transfers are all processed correctly, reviewing payroll instructions and results to signing off payment/payrolls and off cycle pay runs. Working with stakeholders such as Pensions, Finance and third parties to allocate costs and outputs.

The role holder will primarily be required to liaise with the payroll vendor to ensure smooth delivery of payroll services, investigating and resolving queries and escalations for which our Payroll and HR are used extensively.

The role is responsible for ensuring the configuration of WD Payroll is accurate and meets the needs of ever-changing business. They will be required to communicate new requirements to an outsourced IT team and will be responsible for testing and signing off new configuration. This forms a significant part of the role.

Key Accountabilities

• Responding to pay queries from People Partners through Service Now and resolving issues.
• Reconciling payroll data and carrying out rigorous checks to ensure the highest standards of pay data quality.
• Working with various HR, Global Mobility, and Global Reward teams to ensure that employee payroll data is correct and setup in time for cut off, as well as providing training and guidance to HR, Global Mobility or other stakeholders as needed.
• Responsible (together with payroll provider) for ensuring that UK tax and social security is correctly calculated and paid over to the authorities. The Payroll team also needs to provide retroactive corrections to HMRC via the FPSA process.
• Corresponding with HMRC and other third parties, working with our tax providers to provide all compensation data requests for our Global Mobility population on the UK payroll.
• Other ad hoc activities such as faster payment runs, managing overpayment process, ONS requests, providing payroll data for Global employee tax return process and checking the 3rd party payroll providers calculations.
• The successful candidate will have the ability of inspiring success and leading by example to other team members as well as training other team members as and when needed.

Key Requirements

• Experience working in and running a large payroll
• First-class customer service skills
• Workday Payroll and HCM
• Knowledge of UK payroll legislation (such as PAYE, NIC, P60, P11d, P45, statutory payments)
• Experience of working with third party payroll vendors
• The successful candidate will be highly numerate and will have strong & advanced Excel skills to analyse data
• Ability to understand complex calculations and system configuration
• An organised, can do attitude and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to pick up new processes and software quickly and multitask in a busy environment
• Experience in self-managing projects, tracking tasks and assessing progress, handling data accurately
• Strong communication skills, being able to explain complex scenarios to senior employees and stakeholders
• Attention to detail (data accuracy and identification of errors)
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills

Key Interactions

• Outsourced service providers
• European and Global Payroll teams
• UK & European Tax Manager
• Pensions, Finance, Tax, Global Mobility Depts
• Cairo Hub
• Payroll IT team
• UK HR communities
• HMRC, Irish Revenue and other professional bodies
• Other third parties

Additional Information
Kingston working environment:

• Contractors who are based at Kingston will be eligible to get free parking at a local carpark
• There is a Unilever Staff Shop located on the Ground Floor next to the main entrance, where Contingent Workers can buy discounted Unilever products.
• A canteen
• A Gym is available for use on the Ground Floor (with subscription).
• Facilities in the gym include cardiovascular equipment, resistance machines, spin bikes, free weights area, boxing equipment and a stretch/matted area. Classes are also available and can be booked directly with the Gym. Shower facilities are available in the changing rooms, along with hairdryers.