Payroll Consultant - Compensation & Benefits – 6 month FTC - £100,000 plus benefits
Central London, Hybrid – 3 days per week in the office
Please note – candidates need to be available to start within 2 weeks.
Role Purpose
The Compensation & Benefits Partner is responsible for the design, delivery, and governance of compensation and benefits programmes, with a particular focus on managing third - party payroll and benefits providers and ensuring accurate, timely integration between benefits and payroll data and systems.


Key Responsibilities


Global Payroll and Benefit Process and Model
* Review of current Global model, payroll providers and internal processes.
* Establish a Group approach and payroll model that can be easily maintained and reduce exposure to risks.
* Manage third party payroll providers across the Group accurately, on time and within cost parameters whilst ensuring statutory and regulatory requirements are met.


Payroll & Benefits Vendor Management
* Relationship owner for third - party payroll and benefits providers, ensuring service delivery aligns with contractual obligations, agreed SLAs with regular check ins.
* Manage day - to - day operational performance of providers, including issue resolution, escalation management, and continuous improvement.
* Lead vendor governance activities, including service reviews, audits, and performance reporting.
* Support selection, onboarding, and transition of payroll and benefits providers when needed.
* Documentation of internal process to always enable business continuity.
* Verification of process documentation held by third parties, so it aligns with internal process change and enables provision of a stable, error free service.


Payroll and Benefits Integration & Data Management
* Own the end - to - end connection between benefits administration and payroll to ensure accurate benefit deductions, contributions, and taxation.
* Oversee data flows between HR, benefits, and payroll systems, ensuring timely, complete, and validated data transfers.
* Partner with providers and internal stakeholders to resolve data discrepancies and prevent future payroll errors.
* Define and maintain governance frameworks to ensure data accuracy, reconciliation, and audit readiness.


Compensation & Benefits Operations
* Manage and continually improve processes that deliver benefits programmes such as signups, leavers, changes and value increases eg: on risk benefits.
* Continually monitor benefit policies and eligibility rules to ensure they are correctly implemented and maintained.
* Support the annual compensation cycle, including salary reviews, bonus payments and renewals.


Reporting, Controls & Compliance
* Develop and maintain rigorous checks for payroll and benefit input and payroll reporting for internal, financial, and legislative purposes.
* Produce and validate management information, reconciliations, and variance analysis across payroll and benefits data.
* Ensure compliance with UK payroll, tax, and benefits legislation (eg: pension auto - enrolment, PAYE, benefits in-kind, short-term visitors).
* Support internal and external audits by providing documentation, controls evidence, and action planning for any issues identified.




Skills & Experience


Essential
* Significant experience in compensation and benefits with hands - on exposure to managing changes which affect payroll.
* Proven experience managing third - party payroll and benefits providers, providing challenge and driving efficiencies.
* Strong understanding of benefit interaction with payroll, tax, and reporting requirements.
* High attention to detail with a strong control and data - accuracy mindset.
* Excellent stakeholder management and vendor - management skills.
* Experience in multi - country or complex organisational environments.


Desirable
* Experience working with HRIS, payroll, and benefits platforms and managing system integrations.
* Knowledge of UK statutory payroll and benefits frameworks.
* Experience supporting system implementations or provider transitions.
* Background in reporting, reconciliations, or financial controls.


Personal Attributes
* Analytical, structured, and solutions - focused.
* Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels.
* Strong communicator, able to explain technical concepts clearly.
* Proactive and resilient in a fast - paced, deadline - driven environment.