Nenebrook Recruitment Group (NRG) have been retained by a long-standing client to appoint a Head of HR & Payroll Services, a pivotal senior leadership role within a large, complex, multi-site organisation employing over 6,000 colleagues across the UK.
This appointment will lead the Group’s HR Administration & Payroll Services function, ensuring exceptional service delivery, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across all UK sites. The role is based at the Group’s Head Office in Northamptonshire (close to Jct 15 of the M1) with hybrid working of 2–3 days per week.
Role OverviewReporting directly to the HR Director, the Head of HR & Payroll Services will provide strategic and operational leadership to the HR Administration and Payroll teams (c.12 direct and indirect reports). With responsibility for people operations across a 7,000-strong workforce, this role is central to ensuring accuracy, compliance, and service excellence across the employee lifecycle.
The successful candidate will also play a key role in the Group’s forthcoming Workday migration project, partnering with HR, IT, and external stakeholders to ensure a smooth and successful implementation.
Key Responsibilities*Provide strategic leadership to HR Administration and Payroll teams, ensuring a high-quality, consistent service across all UK sites.
*Own and optimise HR administration processes including onboarding, employee records, compliance, and reporting.
*Oversee end-to-end payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and full compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
*Act as a key stakeholder in the Group’s Workday HRIS migration, supporting design, testing, data integrity, and change management.
*Drive continuous improvement across people operations, identifying opportunities to streamline processes and enhance service delivery.
*Ensure robust data governance, GDPR compliance, and strong audit controls across all HR and payroll activities.
*Lead, mentor, and develop a team of HR and payroll professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.
*Monitor service KPIs, analyse trends, and provide insightful reporting to senior leadership.
Person Specification*Proven experience leading HR administration and/or payroll teams within a large, multi-site organisation.
*Strong project management capability, ideally with hands-on experience of HRIS migrations — Workday experience highly desirable.
*Excellent knowledge of UK employment law, payroll legislation, and GDPR requirements.
*Strategic mindset with the ability to remain hands-on and operational when required.
*Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and influencing skills.
*Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build strong relationships across HR, Finance, IT, and operational teams.
*Relevant degree or professional qualification (CIPD or CIPP preferred).
Location & Remuneration*Based at Group Head Office in Northamptonshire (Jct 15, M1) with hybrid working (2–3 days per week).
*Occasional UK travel to operational sites.
*Competitive basic salary up to £120,000
*Car or Car Allowance
*Sizable Bonus
*Comprehensive benefits package