Interim UK Payroll Coordinator

Handle are currently working with a global media and entertainment brand who are looking for an experienced Payroll Specialist to join a busy, fast-paced payroll team.

This is an excellent opportunity for a payroll professional with strong technical knowledge, excellent attention to detail and experience managing complex, high-volume payrolls. You'll play a key role in ensuring accurate and compliant payroll delivery while supporting continuous improvement and building strong relationships with internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end UK payroll processing, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time.
• Ensure compliance with PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments, pensions, Auto Enrolment and RTI requirements.
• Review payroll inputs, maternity cases, manual calculations, overpayments and final payments.
• Investigate payroll discrepancies, analyse variance reports and support payroll reconciliations.
• Manage payroll queries, resolve escalations and liaise with internal teams and external payroll providers.
• Support payroll audits, process improvements and the development of junior team members.
• Ensure payroll data accuracy, confidentiality and compliance with GDPR.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience processing high-volume UK payrolls, ideally covering 3,000+ employees.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation, statutory payments, pensions and employee benefits.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations, HMRC reporting and payroll compliance.
• Advanced Excel skills, including PivotTables and VLOOKUPs.
• SAP payroll experience is advantageous but not essential.
• Excellent analytical, organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work accurately under tight deadlines.
• A proactive team player who can support colleagues, manage competing priorities and drive continuous improvement.

A payroll qualification is desirable, alongside a genuine interest in developing your payroll career.

Handle actively welcomes applicants from under-represented backgrounds - we pride ourselves on attracting the best talent for every opportunity through a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.