Head of Payroll & Rewards
*Location: Head Office (Hybrid working available after initial period in the office.
*Contract: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, interim for 6 months
*Hourly rate: £ per hour PAYE or £38.00- £45.00 per hour via an umbrella company.
We are looking for an interim head of payroll to help process 1000 colleagues and a large community of flexible bank staff, on a monthly basis. This is an interim role to cover a period of sickness and additional work in the department. Working alongside an experienced payroll assistant.
Day-to-day of the role:
*Report to the Finance Director and oversee the delivery of a timely and accurate monthly payroll for approximately 1000 employees, plus managing payments to our bank workforce.
*Lead a small payroll team, ensuring that our processes, systems, and policies remain compliant, efficient, and aligned with best practices.
*Serve as the organisational expert on payroll legislation, reward initiatives, and benefits to attract and retain top talent across our nurseries.
Key Responsibilities:
*Payroll Leadership:*Lead the end-to-end payroll process for monthly paid staff and bank workers.
*Oversee payroll operations using Cascade HR/Payroll, ensuring all statutory deductions, HMRC submissions, pensions, and year-end requirements are completed accurately.
*Manage payroll audits, risk controls, and compliance with employment law and HMRC regulations.



*Reward & Benefits:*Develop and maintain a competitive, fair, and transparent Reward strategy.
*Enhance the organisation’s benefits offering, including salary sacrifice schemes, pensions, wellbeing initiatives, and recognition programmes.
*Lead annual pay reviews, benchmarking exercises, and reward modelling.



*People Leadership & Collaboration:*Manage, develop, and mentor the payroll team.
*Collaborate closely with HR, Finance, and Operations teams to ensure data accuracy and effective workforce planning.
*Promote a culture of service excellence, accuracy, and continuous improvement.



*Systems & Process Improvement:*Optimize and effectively use Cascade across the organisation.
*Drive automation and efficiency, improving colleague experience and reducing administrative burden.
*Lead future payroll and reward projects, including system upgrades and process redesign.

Required Skills & Qualifications:
*Proven experience managing payroll at scale (circa 1000+ employees).
*Strong experience with Cascade HR/Payroll.
*Up-to-date knowledge of payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, pensions, and statutory obligations.
*Experience managing reward, benefits, or compensation programmes.
*Excellent leadership skills and the ability to build strong relationships across the organisation.
*A proactive attitude with a continuous improvement mindset.
*Ideally CIPP qualified (or equivalent experience).