Job Description
Payroll Team Lead
12-14 month FTC position
Central London
Hybrid Working
Our client is seeking an experienced Payroll Team Leader to join their busy team on a 12-14 month FTC basis
Duties include;
* Lead, motivate, and manage a payroll team to ensure high performance and engagement
* Set clear objectives, priorities, and performance expectations for team members
* Conduct regular 1:1 meetings, team meetings, and performance reviews
* Provide coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities for team members
* Foster a positive, collaborative, and accountable team culture
* Allocate workloads effectively across the team based on skills and capacity
* Monitor productivity and adjust resource allocation to meet deadlines
* Manage team schedules, holidays, and cover to ensure continuous payroll operations
* Track individual and team performance against KPIs and service levels
* Address underperformance through structured improvement plans
* Ensure consistent adherence to company policies and standards
* Identify training needs and design development plans for team members
* Deliver or coordinate payroll-related and soft skills training
* Support onboarding and induction of new payroll staff
* Encourage continuous learning and cross-training within the team
* Act as the primary escalation point for payroll team queries
* Assist with manual calculations and training on payroll legislation
* Build strong relationships with HR, Finance, and external stakeholders
* Communicate effectively with senior managers on payroll team performance and issues
* Lead and implement process changes or system improvements within the team
* Drive standardisation and best practices across payroll operations
* Support the team through organisational or system changes
* Ensure team adherence to payroll processes, policies, and compliance requirements
* Oversee audit readiness and support the team during audits
* Act as escalation point for complex payroll or team-related issues
* Make informed decisions to resolve operational or people challenges
* Maintain calm and effective leadership in high-pressure payroll cycles
* Report on team performance, service levels, and key metrics
* Communicate changes, priorities, and expectations clearly to the team
* Encourage innovation, feedback, and proactive problem-solving
* Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing within the team
* Lead by example in professionalism and values
You will have;
* Strong leadership & team motivation - inspires, guides, and builds a high-performing, engaged team
* Effective communication - clearly conveys information and manages relationships with team and stakeholders
* People management & coaching - develops team members, handles performance, and supports growth
* Organisation & decision-making - prioritises workloads, delegates effectively, and resolves issues confidently
* Resilience & attention to detail - maintains accuracy and stays calm under pressure, especially during payroll cycles
* Ability to complete manual calculations and strong payroll knowledge
If you have all of the above, and you are keen to support a dynamic team and can commit to a 12-14 month FTC position, then please apply now #4800131