Location: Crawley, United Kingdom
Payroll Project Specialist - Crawley
Primary Purpose of the Role: The purpose of the role is to support payroll‑related tasks and projects, driving continuous improvements in payroll processes and systems. The role ensures efficient, accurate, and compliant payroll operations by supporting implementations, upgrades, and innovations that enhance payroll performance and employee experience. The role works closely with the payroll provider and internal teams to maintain payroll integrity, compliance, and efficiency.
Principal Relationships
* Outsourced payroll provider
* PSS Partners and the Team at Tier 1, based in an offshore regional hub
* Other teams & Managers within UK HR Operations (Business Analyst / HRIS, Payroll), HR Process Improvement & Project and Transformation Managers
* HR Business Partners (UK)
* HR Centre of Excellence Leads and Delivery teams particularly Employee Relations, C&B & Employee Experience
* Key stakeholders across the business including Finance and Treasury
Key Responsibilities and Tasks
1. Query Resolution
* Collaborate with colleagues to resolve challenges and escalations in a timely manner with little or no impact to employees.
* Respond to questions on payroll discrepancies and issues, and queries on systems, tools and reporting topics.
* Prioritise problem resolution using evidence‑based approaches.
* Ensure queries are resolved within service level agreements.
2. Process Improvement and Feedback
* Act as point of contact for process changes, system upgrade testing and legislation changes that impact payroll, ensuring rollout is communicated and trained where required.
* Support payroll projects to drive efficiencies and streamline processes across the team for accurate delivery to employees.
* Identify trends or recurring data errors and suggest improvements or solutions to enhance accuracy and delivery.
* Contribute continuous improvement ideas ahead of MSR reviews with stakeholders.
3. Project and Work Package Delivery
* Plan and define work packages with team leader, ensuring alignment with project milestones.
* Track progress, provide updates and raise risks and issues aligned to the task.
* Analyse data to support decision making.
* Communicate and document to maintain transparency and accountability.
* Support delivery of overall payroll projects.
4. Compliance, Audit, Data Management and Governance
* Provide information and documentation for audits and regulatory reviews.
* Support compliance with legislation and internal controls, including any personal data breaches.
* Manage requests involving sensitive or critical employee data.
* Ensure data accuracy, integrity and confidentiality levels.
* Investigate data queries, analyse root causes and implement proactive solutions.
* Support implementation of controls and validation processes to safeguard data integrity.
5. Training & Knowledge Sharing
* Assist in training colleagues on process improvements identified through data quality analysis.
* Maintain and update ways of working and process guides.
Skills and Behaviours
Key Skills and Attributes Required
* Experience with payroll systems and processes.
* Proficiency with tools such as Workday and ServiceNow.
* Understanding of agile methodology (asset).
* Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.
* Excellent customer service delivery and stakeholder focus.
* Discretion with confidential information.
* Superb written and verbal communication skills at all levels.
* Accurate attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.
* Adaptability and flexibility in work approach.
* Commitment to task completion and priority setting.
* Teamwork, decision‑making, and influence skills.
* Self‑starter with initiative and innovative spirit.
* Data extraction, analysis and manipulation.
* Resourceful problem‑resolution approach.
* Ability to self‑manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Behaviours
* Inspire to Engage – Engages stakeholders by listening and aligning work with motivating factors.
* Delivers User‑Centric Solutions – Delivers on promises, creates customer intimacy, and drives results.
* Acts with Agility – Demonstrates continuous improvement, adapts, and learns from mistakes.
* Grow Others and Self – Invests in personal and others’ development and demonstrates humility.
Security Clearance – This role requires SC Clearance; applicants must undergo, achieve and maintain clearance.
In line with Thales's baseline security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years.
Thales UK is committed to an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment process and will provide reasonable adjustments and support for neuro‑diverse applicants or those with a disability.
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