Group Payroll Manager (UK & ROI)

About the role

The Group Payroll Manager will lead end‑to‑end payroll operations across the UK, Republic of Ireland and broader Europe, reporting into the People Team. This senior position balances hands‑on operational excellence with strategic transformation, driving automation and modernising the payroll function.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic leadership & team development – direct, mentor and performance‑manage the payroll team while building a high‑performance culture.
• Oversee multi‑country payroll operations – ensure accurate weekly and monthly payroll cycles for the UK, ROI and broader Europe.
• Maintain and configure core payroll systems and drive integrations with HRIS and finance platforms.
• Lead automation projects – eliminate manual steps, introduce self‑service functionality and manage system‑integration initiatives.
• Ensure compliance and corporate governance – manage relationships with HMRC, pension regulators and European equivalents, mitigating tax liabilities and safeguarding data privacy.
• Provide data‑driven insights – deliver analytics on headcount, absence, earnings and benefits to support strategic planning.

Required profile

• Extensive experience managing complex, multi‑country payroll operations (UK, ROI & mainland Europe).
• Proven track record of leading, developing and coaching high‑performing payroll teams.
• Strong technical capability with enterprise payroll software such as Pegasus Opera or equivalent ERP tools.
• Demonstrated experience delivering payroll automation, system integration or digital transformation projects.

Required skills

• Pegasus Opera (or equivalent enterprise ERP payroll system).
• Advanced Microsoft Excel for data manipulation and reporting.
• Data analytics proficiency to generate business insights.