Payroll Specialist
- Location: Reading, UK
- Job Type: Regular, Full-time
- Work Arrangements: Hybrid – 3 Days On-Site, 2 Days Remote
About the job
As a Payroll Specialist within Sanofi Business Operations, the People Services team, you will manage the complete payroll lifecycle for approximately 700 employees across two UK entities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and on‑time processing while supporting our global mission to simplify and harmonize people processes. You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams including Finance, P&C, and Legal, taking ownership of compensation and benefits processing, continuous improvement initiatives, and delivering exceptional support that directly impacts our employee experience.
Main responsibilities
- Manage end‑to‑end UK payroll operations for approximately 700 employees across 2 entities with monthly cycles, ensuring 99.5% accuracy, on‑time processing, and full compliance with UK legislation, GDPR, and Sanofi policies
- Oversee the outsourced payroll provider relationship (Strada), including preparing and reviewing payroll data, monitoring KPIs, validating calculations, and escalating operational issues to ensure seamless delivery
- Process compensation and benefits including salary changes, bonuses, pension administration and reporting, benefit deductions, share scheme processing, and ex‑pat/in‑pat payroll for international mobility
- Deliver accurate and timely reporting to third‑party administrators (pensions, share schemes), Finance, and business stakeholders, including ad‑hoc reports and statutory returns
- Provide Level 2 payroll support by responding to queries via ServiceNow within agreed SLAs, maintaining the Knowledge Database, and resolving issues in a professional and timely manner
- Lead audit preparation and compliance activities, including payroll control checklists, control evidence documentation, sign‑off processes, and responding to internal and external audit requests
- Maintain payroll documentation and governance, ensuring all policies, SOPs, change requests, and control evidence are current and stored appropriately on SharePoint
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives, staying current with UK payroll legislation, monitoring and refining processes to meet statutory requirements while supporting corporate projects and the Global Core Model
About you
- Proven UK payroll expertise with a thorough understanding of payroll processes, UK legislation, and compliance requirements (GDPR); Ireland payroll knowledge is a plus
- Relevant qualification and experience: Graduate/Master's degree in Finance, HR, or Business Administration, or CIPP qualification (or working towards it), with hands‑on payroll experience ideally in an international, multicultural environment
- Strong technical proficiency with payroll/HRIS systems (Workday experience advantageous) and advanced Excel skills to manage data, reporting, and analysis effectively
- Excellent problem‑solving and analytical abilities to address operational issues, interpret complex payroll data, and drive resolution in a timely and effective manner
- Detail‑oriented and precise with the ability to organize, prioritize, and structure tasks to meet tight deadlines while maintaining 99.5%+ accuracy standards
- Collaborative team player who works effectively across teams (People Services, Finance, P&C, Legal) and with external providers, bringing an end‑to‑end mindset to service delivery
- Professional communicator able to interact confidently with internal and external stakeholders, providing clear support and building strong working relationships
- Action‑oriented and change‑ready, with a delivery‑driven approach and enthusiasm for continuous improvement initiatives within the payroll function
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to offering interviews to candidates who request consideration under the Scheme and meet the minimum requirements for this role.
If you have a disability and require adjustments for the interview process, please email us at diversity.recruitmentUKIE@sanofi.com. We are dedicated to ensuring an inclusive and supportive experience for all applicants.
