Manager, Payroll Operations Enablement
Role Location: Thames Valley / South East England
(within practical commuting distance of the Western Greater London / Thames Valley corridor)
Work Arrangement: On-site
Confidentiality Notice: Exact office location will be disclosed at shortlist stage only.
Salary Range: £65k–£77k depending on experience
Eligibility & Engagement Criteria
* This role requires regular in-office presence with limited hybrid flexibility; it is not a remote position
* Candidates must be locally based within a reasonable and sustainable commuting distance
* Must have the legal, unrestricted right to work in the UK
* No visa sponsorship is available now or in the future
* Permanent, direct employment only (no contract, interim, or third-party arrangements)
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Role Overview
The Manager, Payroll Operations Enablement is responsible for owning the operational stability, execution, and change adoption of payroll operations across a multi-country environment.
This role focuses on how payroll operates-ensuring consistent execution, strong governance, and effective adoption of systems and process changes—rather than performing payroll processing or managing payroll team members directly. The position works closely with Payroll Managers and cross-functional partners to ensure payroll operations are stable, scalable, and operating effectively following system, vendor, or process change.
The role plays a critical part in reinforcing operating discipline, identifying and resolving operational risks, and ensuring payroll outcomes meet accuracy, timeliness, and compliance expectations.
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Key Responsibilities
Payroll Operations Stabilisation & Execution
* Own the operational stabilisation of payroll across multiple countries following system implementations, vendor transitions, or process changes.
* Ensure payroll operations are executing consistently and reliably, with a focus on accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
* Identify recurring operational issues, root causes, and control gaps, and drive corrective actions in partnership with Payroll Managers and relevant stakeholders.
* Oversee the transition from heightened post-change support into steady-state operations.
* Maintain visibility into operational performance, risks, and trends to support informed decision-making.
Change Management & Adoption
* Own and reinforce adoption of payroll-related systems, processes, and operating models across regions.
* Coordinate change activities including communications, training support, and stakeholder alignment in partnership with Payroll Managers and functional teams.
* Act as a central point of coordination between payroll, HR, Finance, IT, and external providers to ensure changes are executed consistently.
* Identify country-specific or operational challenges and implement practical mitigation strategies.
Process Improvement & Operational Excellence
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce operational friction, rework, and dependency on manual intervention.
* Review end-to-end payroll operating flows to improve efficiency, resilience, and control effectiveness while accommodating local requirements.
* Ensure payroll processes, hand-offs, and operating practices are clearly documented and consistently applied.
Governance, Risk & Controls
* Own payroll operational governance, ensuring issues, actions, and risks are tracked and resolved.
* Ensure payroll operations are audit-ready through strong controls, documentation, and operational discipline.
* Partner with internal stakeholders to support compliance with enterprise standards and local statutory requirements.
* Provide clear, structured updates on payroll operational performance, risks, and remediation progress.
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Qualifications & Experience
* Experience owning payroll operations or payroll-related operational outcomes in a multi-country environment.
* Strong understanding of payroll operating models, controls, and risk, with exposure to outsourced or vendor-supported delivery.
* Background in operational execution, stabilisation, change management, or process improvement.
* Experience working closely with Payroll Managers, HR, Finance, IT, and third-party providers.
* Comfort operating in post-implementation or post-transformation environments.
* Lean, Six Sigma, or structured improvement experience is a plus.
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Key Competencies
* Payroll operations ownership and execution
* Change adoption and operational discipline
* Process improvement and risk awareness
* Cross-functional coordination
* Clear, structured communication
* Ability to hold accountability without direct people management
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Success Measures
* Stable, reliable payroll operations across supported countries
* Effective adoption of payroll systems and operating model changes
* Reduction in recurring operational issues and control failures
* Clear visibility into payroll operational performance and risks
* Strong partnership with Payroll Managers and functional stakeholders
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. Submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal .
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
* California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here .
* Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here .
* Residents of all other states may access our policies here .
* Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here .
* Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here .
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
* the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
* licensure and certification requirements;
* office location and other geographic considerations;
* other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.