Payroll & Benefits Specialist

City | 5 days office based – Non negotiable Start ASAP

Meraki Talent is working with a Financial Services firm looking for an experienced Payroll & Benefits Specialist to join their HR function. This is an exciting opportunity for a payroll professional with strong UK and EMEA experience to take ownership of multiple payrolls, support benefits administration across Europe, and contribute to key payroll transformation projects.

You will play a pivotal role in ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of payroll services across a European employee population. You will act as a key point of contact for payroll and benefits queries, manage relationships with external providers, support audit activities, and drive continuous process improvement initiatives.

• Oversee the full payroll lifecycle for approximately 1,300 employees across EMEA, ensuring accurate and timely monthly processing.
• Coordinate payroll inputs, undertaking detailed data checks, reconciliations, payroll calculations and statutory payments.
• Work collaboratively with HR and HRIS teams to obtain and validate employee data, resolving discrepancies ahead of payroll deadlines.
• Provide first‑line support for employee payroll enquiries, handling queries promptly and ensuring a high level of service.
• Administer taxable benefits through payroll, including the preparation and submission of P11D information where applicable.
• Contribute to payroll transformation and improvement initiatives, including system implementations, testing and enhancements to existing processes.
• Administer the full employee benefits lifecycle, coordinating enrolments and changes for joiners and leavers across a broad range of benefits.
• Manage benefit schemes including private medical insurance, risk benefits, cycle‑to‑work, gym memberships, childcare vouchers and share plans.
• Calculate and validate benefit‑in‑kind values and voluntary deductions, ensuring accurate information is reflected within payroll.
• Deliver engaging benefits inductions and onboarding sessions, helping employees understand their available benefits and pension arrangements.
• Act as a trusted point of contact for benefits and pension queries, working with providers and internal stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Monitor changes to European benefits and pensions legislation, ensuring schemes and processes remain compliant with regulatory requirements.

• Experience working in Financial Services sectors.
• Must have experience managing UK and multiple EMEA payrolls.
• Proven payroll experience gained within a complex, multi-jurisdictional environment.
• Experience using a payroll system, ideally Oracle, or UKG or other
• Strong understanding of end-to-end payroll processing and payroll administration.
• Experience working with payroll systems and coordinating with outsourced payroll providers.
• Advanced Excel skills, including VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables, and data analysis.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Discreet and professional when handling confidential employee information.