Interim Payroll Specialist SAP

About the Role We are seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Consultant to lead and enhance our payroll operations for a workforce of over 2,000 employees. This role combines hands-on payroll expertise, team leadership, and driving continuous process improvement across our payroll function. The ideal candidate will have strong end-to-end payroll knowledge, advanced SAP payroll experience, and a proven track record of optimising systems, processes, and controls. This is a fantastic opportunity for a proactive leader who can manage day-to-day delivery while shaping the future state of payroll within a dynamic and growing organisation. Key Responsibilities Payroll Operations • Oversee the accurate and timely processing of monthly payroll for 2,000+ employees. • Ensure all payroll activities comply with HMRC regulations, statutory requirements, and internal audit standards. • Manage payroll reconciliations, reporting, and year-end processes (P60, P11D, etc.). • Act as the escalation point for complex payroll queries. Team Leadership • Lead, mentor, and develop a small payroll team, providing coaching and support. • Allocate workload, set priorities, and ensure delivery deadlines are met. • Foster a culture of continuous learning and operational excellence. SAP & Process Improvement • Serve as the payroll SME for SAP Payroll, driving best practice configuration and utilisation. • Lead payroll-related system enhancements, testing, and upgrades in partnership with IT and external vendors. • Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements to increase accuracy, compliance, and automation. • Build strong process documentation and maintain internal controls. Stakeholder Management • Collaborate with HR, Finance, and other business units to streamline data flows and improve payroll accuracy. • Provide payroll insights, metrics, and reporting to senior leadership. • Manage third-party providers and ensure strong service delivery where applicable. Skills & Experience Required Essential • Extensive experience in payroll management within a large organisation (1,500+ employees preferred). • Strong working knowledge of SAP Payroll (required). • Proven background in leading payroll transformation, automation, or process improvement initiatives. • Experience managing or supervising a payroll team. • In-depth understanding of UK payroll legislation and compliance requirements. • Excellent analytical skills and high attention to detail. • Strong communication skills and the ability to influence and engage key stakeholders.