Lead Payroll Specialist UK

About the role

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is hiring a Lead Payroll Specialist for its London office. The role acts as a local representative of the Payroll Department, supporting payroll and compliance processes for Abercrombie & Fitch stores in the United Kingdom. It is the main point of contact for associate and third-party enquiries and reports directly to the EMEA Payroll Senior Manager.

Key responsibilities

• Perform end-to-end payroll validation, including pre- and post-payroll audits, variance analysis and reconciliation of payroll outputs.
• Use data analysis (Excel, reporting tools) to spot trends, discrepancies and improvement opportunities.
• Act as subject matter expert for payroll and HR systems such as ADP GlobalView and Workday, supporting issue resolution and data integrity.
• Support payroll projects and system implementations, including process changes, UAT testing and go-live.
• Ensure alignment with internal audit requirements and company policies, and mitigate payroll risks.
• Maintain and update payroll procedures and documentation, and take ownership of complex payroll issues with timely escalation.
• Support additional EMEA payrolls as needed.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree, four-year equivalent, or completed apprenticeship.
• 4+ years of United Kingdom payroll experience.
• Knowledge of UK payroll laws, including tax, social insurance, work rules and statutory reporting.
• Ability to handle confidential payroll and compensation data with integrity and discretion.
• Previous experience leading or supervising payroll specialists is preferred.

Required skills

• Proficiency in Excel and reporting tools.
• Experience with Workday is desirable.
• Strong attention to detail, customer service and communication with all levels of the business.