Subject Matter Expert - UK Payroll

Role Overview:

The UK Payroll Subject Matter Expert (SME) is responsible for managing end-to-end UK payroll operations, ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing in line with UK legislation and HMRC requirements. The role involves handling complex payroll scenarios, resolving escalations, and overseeing statutory payments, pensions, and year-end activities.

As a key point of expertise, the SME will support audits, payroll transitions, system configurations, and continuous process improvements. This role requires strong technical knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments, auto-enrolment, NHS and LGPS pensions, along with advanced Excel capabilities to manage large datasets and complex calculations.

The position demands excellent communication and client management skills, with the ability to lead issue resolution, ensure compliance with FPS/EPS/CIS submissions, and drive operational excellence across payroll delivery.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Manage end-to-end UK payroll processing.
• Good knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments (SSP, SMP, SPP, SAP), Auto-enrolment, NHS, CSP, LGPS pensions and HMRC reporting requirements.
• Lead resolution of escalations including tax code issues, retro calculations, leaver, gross up and reconciliations.
• Oversee year-end activities P60, P11D also, knowledge of FPS/EPS, CIS submissions
• Act as SME for audits, system configurations, payroll transitions, and process improvements.

Qualification required:

• Strong end-to-end UK payroll expertise (Tax, NI, Stat. payments, Company sick pay, spine point working, pensions).
• Proven experience handling complex payroll.
• Advanced Excel skills (Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, Index-Match, large data analysis).
• Excellent communication and client management skills.