Payroll Manager – High‑Volume, Fast‑Paced EnvironmentLocation: Southampton Salary:petitive – dependent on experience
Employment Type: Full-time, permanentYour new roleA fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced Payroll Manager to lead a busy, high‑volume payroll function. This role would suit someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys improving processes, andbines strong leadership with hands‑on operational expertise.You’ll be responsible for managing the payroll team (4 direct reports), ensuring weekly pay cycles run smoothly and accurately, and driving continuous improvement across systems, workflows, and data processes. This is a key operational role with significant influence over the reliability, scalability, and overall quality of payroll delivery.Key Responsibilities:
1. Lead, mentor and support a payroll team, encouraging accountability, professionalism, and collaboration.
2. Oversee daily workload allocation and performance, while stepping in to support processing during peak periods.
3. Manage and contribute to an end‑to‑end high volume payroll.
4. Process and validate shifts, variable pay, statutory payments, deductions and holiday accruals.
5. Investigate and resolveplex queries quickly, ensuring clearmunication to all stakeholders.
6. Support system integrations between payroll and finance.
7. Ensure all activity meets current UK payroll legislation, audit standards, and internal control frameworks.
8. Prepare for, and contribute to, internal and external audits.
9. Evaluate existing workflows and identify opportunities to automate and streamline processes.
10. Develop and maintain clear SOPs that drive consistency and minimise risk.
11. Act as senior escalation point forplex payroll queries.
12. Produce and develop reporting on payroll performance, accuracy, exception trends, and team capacity.
13. Provide insight and rmendations to support operational planning and strategic decision‑making.
What you'll need to succeed
14. Significant experience in high‑volume payroll environments.
15. Strong working knowledge of payroll systems, including configuration or optimisation exposure.
16. Deep understanding of UK payroll legislation andpliance frameworks.
17. Proven experience leading a payroll team while remaining hands-on with processing.
18. Experience with invoice financing would be advantageous.
19. Exposure to workflow redesign, automation or payroll system migration.
What you'll get in returnYou’ll get a generous starting salary based on your experience, and you will be part of a successful, rapidly growing organisation.
Generous benefits including:
20. Discounted gym membership
21. Life insurance
22. Employee discount scheme
23. Health & wellbeing programme
24. Cycle-to-work scheme
25. Regularpany events
26. Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
27. On‑site parking