Payroll Manager - 6-Month FTC

Payroll Manager (FTC) – Payroll Benefits in Kind Implementation

Location: Solihull, Hybrid

Job Type: 6-Month Fixed-Term Contract

Salary: Up to £50k

About the Opportunity

We are working with a leading organisation to recruit an experienced Payroll Manager to support the implementation of Payroll Benefits in Kind (PBIK) within an existing SAP ECC Payroll environment.

This is a key project role supporting the delivery of a major payroll change, with responsibility for helping ensure the organisation is fully compliant with HMRC requirements by April 2027.

The successful candidate will act as the business lead and payroll SME throughout the implementation, working closely with Payroll, Reward, Finance, HR, IT and external partners to define requirements, support configuration, manage testing and ensure the business is ready for successful deployment.

The Role

Working across Payroll, Reward, Finance, HR, IT and external partners, you will take ownership of the payroll workstream for the PBIK implementation.

You will be responsible for translating payroll and legislative requirements into clear business requirements, supporting the design and configuration of the solution within SAP ECC and working closely with technical teams and third-party providers throughout the implementation.

A key part of the role will be leading UAT, managing defects and coordinating stakeholder sign-off, alongside maintaining strong governance, RAID management and project reporting.

This is a hands-on delivery role suited to someone who has experience of SAP ECC Payroll implementations, payroll legislation changes or PBIK projects and is comfortable operating across both payroll and project environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Payroll Benefits in Kind implementation within the existing SAP ECC Payroll environment.
• Act as the business SME for payroll, benefits and HMRC requirements throughout the project.
• Gather, document and validate requirements across Payroll, Reward, Finance and HR.
• Work closely with IT and third-party providers through solution design, configuration and build activities.
• Provide payroll expertise to ensure the solution meets business and legislative requirements.
• Support the configuration and development of the PBIK solution within SAP ECC.
• Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT), including test planning, execution, defect management and sign-off.
• Develop and review test scripts and ensure appropriate testing coverage across payroll processes.
• Investigate and resolve issues identified through testing and implementation.
• Manage project risks, actions, issues and dependencies through effective RAID management.
• Provide regular project updates and governance reporting to key stakeholders.
• Coordinate activity across Payroll, Reward, Finance, HR, IT and external implementation partners.
• Ensure appropriate stakeholder engagement and communication throughout the implementation.
• Support business readiness, process changes and the transition into BAU payroll operations.
• Ensure the implementation remains aligned with HMRC requirements and the April 2027 compliance deadline.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes and controls as part of the implementation.
• Support the successful deployment and handover of the PBIK solution into the wider payroll function.

About You

We are looking for a commercially focused Finance Business Partner who combines strong technical accounting knowledge with the ability to work closely with senior stakeholders and influence business decisions.

You will be comfortable getting into the detail of the numbers but, importantly, will be able to step back and explain what the numbers mean for the business.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience within UK payroll management or senior payroll roles.
• Strong hands-on SAP ECC Payroll experience.
• Previous experience supporting or delivering SAP ECC Payroll implementations.
• Experience delivering payroll legislation changes, PBIK projects or similar payroll transformation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
• Proven experience leading UAT, testing and defect management.
• Experience writing or reviewing test scripts and managing UAT sign-off.
• Strong stakeholder management skills across Payroll, HR, Finance, IT and external suppliers.
• Experience with project governance, RAID management and project reporting.
• Strong business analysis and requirements gathering skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical capability.
• Strong communication and influencing skills.
• A structured and delivery-focused approach to project management.
• CIPP membership or relevant payroll qualification would be desirable.

What’s on Offer?

• 6-month fixed-term contract with a salary of up to £50,000.
• Opportunity to play a key role in a significant payroll implementation programme.
• Hands-on involvement in the implementation of Payroll Benefits in Kind within SAP ECC.
• Exposure to Payroll, Reward, Finance, HR, IT and external implementation partners.
• Opportunity to lead UAT and play a key role in the successful deployment of the solution.
• High-profile project with a clear April 2027 implementation and compliance deadline.
• Hybrid working from Solihull.