System and Payroll Manager

People Systems and Payroll Manager

Department: People & Culture

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Home based / with some regional travel

Compensation: £48,790 - £57,410 / year

This role is responsible for overseeing all People systems, payroll, and Payroll administration activity, ensuring services are accurate, compliant, user-focused, and provide value for money. You will play a key role in enabling the organisation to be both people-powered and values-led, while driving operational excellence and continuous improvement.

• Work collaboratively across the People Team to deliver an ambitious programme of work.
• Lead and manage the People Systems and Payroll team, providing coaching, direction, and development.
• Act as a role model and ambassador, delivering high-quality service to stakeholders.

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery.
• Submit EPS, FPS, HMRC returns, and complete all year-end payroll activities.
• Ensure compliance with UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
• Oversee payroll data accuracy, including starters, leavers, and contractual changes.
• Lead on payroll reporting, including gross-to-net, variance analysis, and executive sign-off.

• Manage and optimise People systems (including IRIS Cascade and other platforms).
• Drive continuous improvement to maximise self-service and operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to streamline data flows across systems.
• Configure systems and workflows in line with policy, legislation, and best practice.

• Lead on the development of People and payroll KPIs, dashboards, and management information.
• Provide data-driven insights to support decision-making and workforce planning.
• Deliver reporting across key People areas such as recruitment, EDI, and learning.

• Work closely with Finance to ensure audit compliance and accurate accounting.
• Manage relationships with payroll, benefits, and system providers.
• Oversee pension scheme administration.
• Support Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) in partnership with the Data team.
• Ensure adherence to safeguarding, data protection, and health & safety policies.

• Lead the annual pay review and support pay benchmarking activity.
• Contribute systems expertise to People-related projects and initiatives.

• Extensive experience managing in-house payroll processes and reporting.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
• Proven experience leading and developing a payroll or systems team.
• Hands‑on experience with HR systems (ideally IRIS Cascade) and associated platforms (ATS, benefits, appraisal systems).
• Strong analytical, numerical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience with payroll audits, reconciliations, and accounting processes.
• Ability to configure systems and improve workflows.
• Experience managing supplier relationships and contracts.
• Strong reporting capability, including KPIs and Gender Pay Gap reporting.
• Understanding of project management principles.
• Experience supporting DSAR processes.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• CIPP qualification (or equivalent experience).

• Collaborative and stakeholder‑focused.
• Detail‑oriented with a commitment to accuracy.
• Proactive and solutions‑driven.
• Committed to inclusion, diversity, and organisational values.

• Generous pension contribution.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Healthcare cash plan.
• Volunteer leave.
• 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays and an additional 3 days paid leave between Christmas and the New Year.
• Buy additional annual leave.
• Benefits discount website.
• Death in service benefit of 4× salary.
• Incapacity benefit.
• Generous family leave and sick leave.

The DofE are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All successful applicants will be required to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. (e.g. DBS/PVG or similar), including references covering any gaps of employment/education, confirm eligibility to work in the UK and complete a health check.

The geographical allowance is based on a member of staff having a home or office-based postcode within 30 miles (as the crow flies) from Charing Cross, WC2N 5HS
. The allowance is 7% capped at £4,000 per annum.