Role Location: Thames Valley / South East England
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)
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.
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.
* 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.
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.
* 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.
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.
Equal Opportunity Notice
Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, 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 applicable law. The company also ensures that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends on a wide array of factors, including skill sets, experience, licensure, clarity of role, office location, and other business needs. The salary range above provides a reasonable estimate of the base compensation in relevant geographies that require salary disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and routine participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan.
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