Payroll Service Delivery Consultant

Role Overview

This position sits within the EMEA Payroll Service Delivery team and reports to a Regional Payroll Lead. The role is central to delivering payroll services across a broad set of EMEA countries, with a focus on paying employees accurately, on time, and in full compliance while maintaining a strong employee and stakeholder experience.

The role supports the wider mission of EMEA HR Shared Services by helping strengthen partnerships, uphold service quality, and contribute to a resilient and efficient payroll operation. The corporate title for this role is up to Vice President.

Key Duties

• Manage the full monthly payroll cycle end to end, ensuring adherence to payroll laws, statutory obligations, benefits administration, and tax requirements.
• Perform payroll reconciliation and validation from start to finish, following audit expectations, governance rules, and internal control standards.
• Review payroll inputs carefully so employee and third-party payments are processed correctly and within required timelines.
• Deliver work against strict cut-offs and payroll deadlines.
• Support the wider aims of EMEA HR Shared Services by aligning payroll delivery with service quality, risk management, and employee experience goals.
• Assist with payroll operations across EMEA countries as needed to improve consistency, quality, and operational resilience.
• Bring a service-oriented mindset, with emphasis on clear communication, prompt issue resolution, and dependable support for employees and stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in pay, financial governance, and reconciliation teams to support business continuity and cross-country coverage.
• Develop strong working relationships with HR, Finance, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Manage external payroll vendors and ensure service targets, compliance standards, and improvement commitments are met.
• Serve as a point of contact for statutory authorities and auditors, supporting audits, inspections, and regulatory requests.
• Embed risk management, SOX controls, and payroll governance into daily operations.
• Identify issues and risks early and help drive practical solutions through sound judgement and teamwork.
• Contribute to projects, transformation efforts, and process improvements that support HR Shared Services strategy and operational excellence.

Required Experience and Capabilities

• Proven experience in EMEA payroll, ideally in a multi-country or complex corporate setting.
• Strong Excel capability, especially in reconciliation and data validation.
• Solid computer skills and practical experience with multiple payroll systems.
• Ability to work independently with a strong sense of ownership, initiative, and accountability.
• Collaborative approach with the flexibility to work across and beyond the payroll function.
• Proven ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines across payroll cycles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interaction with stakeholders at all levels and with external bodies.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and control awareness in a regulated environment.
• Desirable: experience in a large, complex corporate organisation.
• Desirable: familiarity with stock payments and payroll governance, including processes, metrics, and controls.
• Desirable: understanding of payroll accounting, financial controls, and Finance process integration.
• Desirable: experience with ADP and Workday payroll software.
• Desirable: payroll qualifications such as CIPP.

Benefits

• Private healthcare cover for you and your family, plus an annual health screen, with the option to add a partner.
• Competitive pension, life assurance, and group income protection if you are unable to work due to disability or health reasons.
• 20 days of backup childcare, including school holiday clubs, and 20 days of backup adult care each year.
• Flexibility to adjust core benefits and choose additional options such as a wellbeing account, travel insurance, and critical illness cover.
• Access to emotional wellbeing support, mental health first aiders, and virtual GP services.
• Employee Assistance Program for confidential help with everyday matters.
• Ability to donate to selected charities through payroll, with company matching contributions.
• Access to an Arts & Culture corporate membership programme with discounted entry to well-known UK cultural venues and exhibitions.
• Opportunities to volunteer locally, build new skills, and contribute to the community.

Additional Information

The organisation places strong emphasis on conduct, judgment, accountability, and responsible risk management. Candidates are expected to understand and follow the company’s standards of conduct and approach to conduct risk.

The employer is committed to equal opportunities and does not treat applicants less favourably on the basis of protected or other relevant characteristics, including sex, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, socio-economic background, responsibility for dependants, or physical or mental disability.

Recruitment is based on skills, qualifications, and experience. The company also aims to make its hiring process accessible and invites candidates to share any adjustment requirements.

Location

Chester, England, United Kingdom.