The Principal Payroll Consultant – Managed Services is a senior operational and strategic role responsible for the overall health, efficiency, governance, and growth of managed service payrolls. The role has a strong focus on payroll efficiency, continuous improvement, governance, and commercial insight, using payroll data to optimise delivery, profitability, and customer outcomes. Working closely with Customer Success, Sales, Partnerships, and Payroll Operations, this role ensures payroll services are delivered accurately, efficiently, compliantly, and at scale.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Efficiency & Performance
* Own month-on-month analysis of payroll delivery, reviewing estimated vs actual hours across managed payrolls
* Identify inefficiencies, root causes, and opportunities to reduce manual effort and rework
* Deliver continuous improvement initiatives with a target of 15% efficiency savings
* Provide insights to improve cost control, utilisation, and scalability
Customer Success & Service Delivery
* Support the Payroll Customer Success Manager with issue resolution, service improvements, and customer outcomes
* Contribute to Quarterly Business Reviews and ensure agreed actions are delivered
* Act as an escalation point for complex payroll operational or delivery issues
* Identify and implement improvements across payroll processes, systems, controls, and operating models
* Ensure sustainable adoption of operational changes across the payroll function
* Promote accountability, best practice, and continuous improvement
Commercial Growth
* Partner with Sales and Partnerships to support BAU payroll growth
* Contribute to monthly revenue discussions, providing insight into operational capacity and service opportunities
* Support upsell and cross-sell opportunities through operational and customer insight
Payments, Governance & Compliance
* Oversee end-to-end BACS and Faster Payments processes for managed payroll customers
* Ensure strong controls, payment accuracy, and risk management
* Maintain payroll governance standards across Managed Services
* Keep up to date with payroll legislation and coordinate implementation of regulatory changes and team training
Operational Ownership
* Own the Hypercare to BAU transition process, ensuring smooth onboarding and service stabilisation
* Oversee the Support Desk, ensuring queries remain within agreed scope and identifying improvement opportunities
* Extensive UK payroll experience, ideally in a managed services or outsourced payroll environment
* Strong knowledge of PAYE, statutory deductions, pensions, and payroll compliance
* Proven experience using data and metrics to drive operational efficiency
* Experience overseeing payroll payments (BACS/Faster Payments)
* Strong stakeholder management, communication, and analytical skills
* Experience working cross-functionally with operational, customer success, or commercial teams
* Experience with Sage payroll products
* Experience leading Hypercare or onboarding functions
* Experience in multi-client or high-volume payroll environments
* Unlimited paid leave (subject to our Annual Leave Policy)
* Bi-annual salary & bonus reviews
* Fully flexible work schedule
* Modern office in Manchester's Northern Quarter
* Access to Perkbox for regular employee discounts
* 24/7 access to virtual GP appointments via Doctor Care Anywhere
* Regular team events and social nights
* Development time and funding
* Regular gifts and perks from Phase 3 to reward outstanding achievements, new members to your family, house moves and big birthdays
* Access to home office equipment
* And many more!
Phase 3 is a Disability Confident employer and we endeavour to recruit from the widest possible pool of suitable candidates. The format of the interview will be - questions based on your experience and the requirements of the role. If you require any adjustments or special arrangements to be made to our application process on account of disability please let us know in advance.
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