The Payroll Administration Lead ensures accurate and timely monthly payroll using SAP and Workday, providing day-to-day leadership to Payroll Administrators. They oversee workload, quality assurance, and complex query resolution, acting as a role model and first escalation point. The lead drives service excellence, develops team skills, and supports continuous payroll process improvements.
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage and coach Payroll Administrators, providing feedback and development.
- Support query resolution via Live Chat, Help Cases, and email, ensuring accuracy and timely responses.
- Review and approve payroll tasks to ensure compliance and reduce errors.
- Escalate and investigate complex payroll issues, recommending improvements and escalating risks.
- Assist Payroll Manager with operations, workload monitoring, and KPI achievement.
- Perform payroll transactions and administrative tasks as needed.
- Lead or support payroll projects, ensuring compliance and operational effectiveness.

• Provide day-to-day line management for Payroll Administrators, acting as a positive behavioural role model while delivering coaching, mentoring, performance feedback and development support to enhance individual and team capability
• Support Payroll Administrators in the effective resolution of payroll-related enquiries received through Live Chat, Help Cases and email, ensuring queries are resolved accurately, professionally and within agreed service levels through the provision of training, guidance and coaching.
• Review, validate and approve work completed by Payroll Administrators, ensuring payroll processes are completed accurately and in line with policy, procedure and legislative requirements, reducing the risk of payroll errors and colleague impact.
• Act as the first point of escalation for complex payroll queries and issues, conducting investigations and identifying root causes. Use insights gained to recommend process, training and service improvements, escalating risks and opportunities to the Payroll Manager and leading local continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support the Payroll Manager, Deputy Payroll Manager and other specialist roles in delivering payroll operational performance by coordinating daily activities, monitoring workload and progress against payroll schedules, and ensuring KPI and SLA targets are achieved. Provide regular feedback on resource requirements, risks and priorities to support successful payroll delivery.
• Undertake payroll transactions and processing activities, (including administrative tasks and payroll running support where required), to ensure the accurate and timely payment of colleagues in accordance with contractual, policy and statutory requirements.
• Lead or support payroll-related projects in partnership with Payroll Advisors, providing subject matter expertise, coordinating resources and ensuring solutions are operationally effective, compliant with legislative requirements and aligned with payroll best practice.

- Proven experience in leading and coaching teams for high performance.
- Strong organisational skills in deadline-driven payroll environments.
- In-depth knowledge of payroll processes and best practices.
- Detail-oriented with ability to analyse large datasets; advanced Excel skills desirable; SAP HR and Workday experience advantageous.
- High integrity with confidentiality.
- Formal payroll qualification required; advanced payroll certifications preferrable