Interim Associate Director, Payroll & Benefits
12 mnth FTC with the potential of a permanent opportuity afterwards
Up to £100,000 + Discretionary Bonus + Excellent Benefits
Canary Wharf, London - 4 days in the office, 1 day from home
Oakleaf Partnership are partnering with a highly regarded and well-established professional services organisation to recruit an interim Associate Director, Payroll & Benefits on a 12 month FTC. This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-profile leadership role with genuine scope to shape the future of payroll and benefits within a complex and evolving business.
What the role is:
You will take overall responsibility for payroll, benefits and pensions for approximately 1,400 employees across multiple UK entities.
Leading a team of six, you will ensure the smooth and compliant delivery of several monthly payrolls covering both salaried and shift-based employees.
Alongside business-as-usual leadership, you will review and optimise Workday, strengthen controls and reporting, assess the current operating model and lead key projects, including the potential implementation of a new benefits platform.
This is a highly visible role that partners closely with senior stakeholders across Finance, HR and the wider business.
Key responsibilities:
Lead the Payroll and Benefits function, managing a team of six
Oversee the accurate and timely processing of multiple monthly payrolls
Ensure compliance across payroll, pensions and benefits
Drive optimisation of Workday and payroll-related systems
Identify and deliver process improvements and transformation initiatives
Evaluate and implement a benefits platform
Support annual bonus, LTIP and salary review processes
Produce payroll reporting, including gender and ethnicity pay gap data
Partner closely with HR and Finance to deliver a best-in-class service
Skills and Experience
Significant experience leading payroll and benefits within a complex organisation
Strong technical expertise in UK payroll legislation, pensions and compliance
Proven experience delivering payroll transformation and process improvement
Advanced Workday knowledge and systems optimisation experience
A supportive, resilient and collaborative leadership style
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
Strong Excel and analytical skills
Experience implementing a benefits platform would be advantageous
Why join this organisation?
This is a business with a strong reputation, substantial investment and a clear commitment to modernising its people and finance infrastructure. Payroll is increasingly recognised as a strategic function, and this role offers the opportunity to make a real impact.
You will inherit a technically strong and dedicated team that is eager for leadership, direction and development. The business is open to fresh ideas and willing to invest in systems, technology and process improvements to create a best-in-class payroll and benefits function.
For someone who enjoys combining operational leadership with strategic transformation, this role offers the autonomy, visibility and support needed to deliver meaningful change.
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