Payroll Officer

Central London| Hybrid Working (3 days office / 2 home)
£280–310 per day PAYE (c.£67k permanent equivalent)
⏳ 6-Month Temp to Perm Opportunity
A leading global bank based in Central London is seeking an experienced Payroll Officer to join its HR Operations team on a temp-to-perm basis. This is a critical hire within a small, collaborative HR function and would suit someone who enjoys operating in a fast-paced, hands-on environment with broad exposure across the business.
The successful candidate will take ownership of end-to-end payroll operations for approximately 760 employees, with additional oversight across international payroll activities. The role requires a proactive individual with strong technical payroll knowledge, excellent attention to detail, and a willingness to “roll their sleeves up” within a highly visible open-office environment.
Key Responsibilities • Manage the end-to-end monthly payroll cycle, ensuring accurate and timely salary payments, bonuses, overtime, deductions, and adjustments
• Ensure compliance with all UK payroll legislation including HMRC regulations, National Insurance, Auto Enrolment pensions, SSP, SMP, PSA and P11D reporting
• Maintain payroll records and employee data in line with GDPR and internal controls
• Process and reconcile payroll journals, bank payments, payroll accounts and general ledger entries
• Support month-end payroll accounting activities including balance sheet reconciliations
• Manage payroll-related submissions including RTI, year-end reporting and statutory filings
• Handle payroll queries efficiently, resolving discrepancies in a timely manner
• Administer employee benefits processing including season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and bike-to-work schemes
• Support pension administration and liaise with pension providers and HMRC
• Assist with payroll audits, Head Office reporting requirements and ongoing compliance activity
• Work closely with HR, Finance and external tax advisors on global mobility and assignee matters
• Contribute to payroll process improvements, automation initiatives and system enhancements

Candidate Requirements • Minimum 3 years’ payroll experience within financial services, banking, insurance or a similarly regulated environment
• Proven experience managing end-to-end payroll processes independently
• Strong understanding of UK payroll legislation and employment taxes
• Experience with PSA, P11Ds and benefits processing
• Exposure to international payrolls or global mobility arrangements is highly desirable, particularly across Europe or APAC
• Strong Excel skills including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables and data manipulation
• Experience using payroll systems such as SDWorx, Sage, ADP or similar platforms
• Understanding of payroll accounting, journals and reconciliations
• CIPP qualification (completed or studying towards) beneficial
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to engage across teams and senior stakeholders
• Highly organised, resilient and comfortable working in a busy open-plan environment with frequent interruptions

Personal Attributes • Strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy
• Proactive and solutions-focused approach
• Collaborative and team-oriented mindset
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities
• High level of integrity and confidentiality
• Driven to improve processes and deliver quality outcomes
• Able to build strong working relationships across HR, Finance and Operations

Working Arrangements & Interview Process • Hybrid working model: 3 days in the office / 2 days from home