Payroll Officer

• Central London| Hybrid Working (3 days office / 2 home)
• 6-Month Temp to Perm Opportunity

A leading global bank based in Central London is seeking an experienced Payroll Officer to join its HR Operations team on a temp-to-perm basis. This is a critical hire within a small, collaborative HR function and would suit someone who enjoys operating in a fast-paced, hands‑on environment with broad exposure across the business.

The successful candidate will take ownership of end‑to‑end payroll operations for approximately 760 employees, with additional oversight across international payroll activities. The role requires a proactive individual with strong technical payroll knowledge, excellent attention to detail, and a willingness to “roll their sleeves up” within a highly visible open‑office environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the end‑to‑end monthly payroll cycle, ensuring accurate and timely salary payments, bonuses, overtime, deductions, and adjustments
• Ensure compliance with all UK payroll legislation including HMRC regulations, National Insurance, Auto Enrolment pensions, SSP, SMP, PSA and P11D reporting
• Maintain payroll records and employee data in line with GDPR and internal controls
• Process and reconcile payroll journals, bank payments, payroll accounts and general ledger entries
• Support month‑end payroll accounting activities including balance sheet reconciliations
• Manage payroll‑related submissions including RTI, year‑end reporting and statutory filings
• Handle payroll queries efficiently, resolving discrepancies in a timely manner
• Administer employee benefits processing including season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and bike‑to‑work schemes
• Support pension administration and liaise with pension providers and HMRC
• Assist with payroll audits, Head Office reporting requirements and ongoing compliance activity
• Work closely with HR, Finance and external tax advisors on global mobility and assignee matters
• Contribute to payroll process improvements, automation initiatives and system enhancements

Candidate Requirements

• Minimum 3 years’ payroll experience within financial services, banking, insurance or a similarly regulated environment
• Proven experience managing end‑to‑end payroll processes independently
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation and employment taxes
• Experience with PSA, P11Ds and benefits processing
• Exposure to international payrolls or global mobility arrangements is highly desirable, particularly across Europe or APAC
• Strong Excel skills including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables and data manipulation
• Experience using payroll systems such as SDWorx, Sage, ADP or similar platforms
• Understanding of payroll accounting, journals and reconciliations
• CIPP qualification (completed or studying towards) beneficial
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to engage across teams and senior stakeholders
• Highly organised, resilient and comfortable working in a busy open‑plan environment with frequent interruptions

Personal Attributes

• Strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy
• Proactive and solutions‑focused approach
• Collaborative and team‑oriented mindset
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities
• High level of integrity and confidentiality
• Driven to improve processes and deliver quality outcomes
• Able to build strong working relationships across HR, Finance and Operations

Working Arrangements & Interview Process

• Hybrid working model: 3 days in the office / 2 days from home

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