Senior Payroll Manager

Job Introduction

Role Responsibility

Job Introduction

Are you looking for a Senior Payroll Manager role that gives you the chance to work for one of the World’s most iconic department stores and utilise your Workday Payroll knowledge? Looking for a company that wants to help further your career as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work?  

If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re just the kind of person we’re looking for! 

Know The Role

Reporting directly to the Financial Controller (FC), the Senior Payroll Manager is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of the in-house payroll for Selfridges and Selfridges Group, along with ensuring compliance with all statutory requirements and day-to-day management of the Payroll team.

As a key contact within the Payroll (and wider Finance) team, the jobholder will possess strong communication skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of individuals both within the business and when representing Selfridges externally, delivering an extraordinary experience for all customers.

Role Scope:

The Senior Payroll Manager has line management responsibility for two Payroll Team Leaders with eight further indirect reports, and is the key point of contact within the business for all payroll processing and compliance matters and will provide the job holder exposure to key stakeholders both within and externally to the business. 

The Senior Payroll Manager will have extensive opportunities to lead and support the payroll team to work and leverage any opportunity to review and continuously improve our processes and ways of working in order to continue to provide an excellent Payroll service to the wider business.

 Payroll Processing: 

• Responsibility for ensuring the payroll team process data accurately, efficiently and within the expected timescales for our 3,000 team members on our new payroll software, Workday Payroll.
• Forward planning of all payroll tasks required with the payroll annual timetable, ensuring the team are aware of any upcoming tasks or challenges
• Ensure a firm understanding of all tasks required, ensuring adequate resourcing within the team to meet all challenges
• Responsibility for all compliance and the accurate and timely processing of all statutory payments
• Day-to-day management of the payroll team, ensuring the team is appropriately resourced to cover all tasks effectively
• Provide support to the business with all payroll reporting and ad-hoc information requirements, ensuring reporting is completed and issued in a timely manner
• Working closely with the Senior HRIS Analyst – Workday Payroll & Benefits to keep abreast of internal requirements coming up & plan accordingly
• Ensure the FC, Senior HRIS Analyst – Workday Payroll & Benefits and Finance Management are kept abreast of any policy, process or legislative changes, and any upcoming tasks and challenges for the Payroll team
• Manages peaks and troughs successfully by keeping payroll team and FC abreast of any issues and upcoming challenges
• Ability to explain pay query resolutions to stakeholders at multiple levels throughout the business

 Compliance: 

• Technically up to date with responsibility for all compliance, and timely processing of all statutory and other payments
• Key point of contact with HMRC, pensions providers, and other third parties
• Robust knowledge of NMW requirements, with the ability to continually review to ensure the business is compliant in collaboration with the internal Group Tax team
• Strong knowledge of HMRC’s and other reporting requirements and deadlines, ensuring the business meets such obligations
• Responsibility for timely provision of all Payroll-related data for PSA and other statutory requirements
• Any ad-hoc queries coming into the Payroll team from around the business
• Technically up-to-date with all payroll legislation, with proven continued professional development
• Ensure the Payroll team operate in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

 Team Building: 

• Day to day management of the payroll team, responsible for the management, appraisal and personal development of all team members
• Lead the recruitment process within the payroll team, ensuring the team is appropriately structured and resourced to provide a best in class payroll service to the business
• Identify training and development needs within the team, to ensure adequate absence cover and avoid knowledge gaps
• Support the payroll team through periods of change, remaining up to date on any planned system changes, and communicating any changes timely to the wider team
• Work with the team to deliver excellent customer service to the business, ensuring that the team’s knowledge of all payroll requirements, legislation and processes is current and consistent across the team 

Continuous Improvements: 

• Drive the continuous improvement of our ways of working, with a strong focus on payroll processes and controls
• Working closely with the FC and Senior HRIS Analyst – Workday Payroll & Benefits to continually review and suggest improvements to strengthen the payroll control environment
• Along with the Financial Controller, develop, monitor and report of Payroll KPIs to the wider business
• Curious, inquisitive and keen to understand and challenge existing processes and ways of working to drive efficiencies and continuous improvements utilising Microsoft Excel and other available systems/programs.

Processes & Controls: 

• Ensure all payroll processes and controls are adhered to by the payroll team in day-to-day tasks
• Ensure that all data interfacing from other systems is handled correctly and on time, ensuring any issues are identified and escalated to the Senior HRIS Analyst – Workday Payroll & Benefits and FC timely
• Working with the Finance Team and Senior HRIS Analyst – Workday Payroll & Benefits to ensure all queries from Payroll reconciliations are investigated and resolved timely
• With support from the Senior HRIS Analyst – Workday Payroll & Benefits, ensure all Payroll processes are documented and documentation maintained and kept up to date, determine additional documentation that would be useful for the team (new starters etc) and work with the team to ensure this is completed, reviewed annually and maintained
• Assistance with any system changes or development as required
• As a key stakeholder, participate in the development of and implementation of improved or new systems

The Ideal Candidate

• An experienced Payroll Manager, with proven ability to lead and develop a team along with experience of collaborating with an internal HRIS Support Team
• A qualified payroll professional (CIPP)
• Experience of leading a team through change will be advantageous
• Knowledge & experience of salary sacrifice schemes including cars, pensions, childcare vouchers, and cycle to work
• System experience of Workday Payroll and HCM along with Reflexis (Desirable)
• Technically up to date, and aware of current payroll matters and legislation
• Proactive and results-driven, ensuring all tasks are completed accurately and within agreed timescales but with the ability to be reactive in ad-hoc situations that arise.
• As a key representative of the Finance/Payroll team, builds excellent working relationships and trust with all internal and external customers
• Strong MS Excel skills
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels, and the ability to listen and build rapport with a variety of audiences and stakeholders
• A pro-active communicator who provides regular updates / progress updates to all stakeholders, actively seeking opportunities to raise profile and communicate with stakeholders
• Highly organised with the ability to multitask and prioritise own workload and that of the team
• Promotes a positive and proactive culture that embraces change
• Always offers and shows respect in the working environment 
• Monitors own performance and seeks ways to improve
• Follow health and safety procedures and security procedures
• Knowledge and experience of the CIPP Payroll Assurance Scheme (PAS)

The role is based in Leicester with occasional travel to other offices (primarily London) as required

This job is a brilliant opportunity to surround yourself with a dedicated and experienced team. It doesn’t just stop here either - we have lots of opportunities to get involved and collaborate on projects and in communities internally, so no two days will ever be the same. As Harry Gordon Selfridge once said, ‘There’s no fun like work!’ 

About the Company

Our Creative Spirit 

We are more than a shop. We are a social space where culture and commerce collide to release an energy that we call the Selfridges spirit. We are here to make our world brighter, and everyone is welcome. 

Our Awards Cabinet 

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times.

Our Future 

Since 1909 we have been at the forefront of retail and today our stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham – alongside selfridges.com and the Selfridges App – continue to redefine the way we shop and socialise. As a Selfridges team member, you will learn what it takes to consistently drive innovation, success and amazing customer experiences. 

Everyone is welcome

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive working culture, and we see this as key to our success and our working culture. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome - irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all. We are diverse, we are inclusive, we are Selfridges.

The Fun Stuff  

There are lots of reasons to be excited about joining Team Selfridges – from our fantastic team member communities to volunteer days and behind-the-scenes Selfridges experiences throughout the year. 

Other benefits and rewards include:

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme 
• Discounted gym memberships 
• Pension contributions  
• Annual travel pass and cycle to work schemes 
• Up to five paid volunteering days
• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development

Selfridges