Global Head of Payroll (Hiring Immediately)

Company Description

Fund services | Corporate | Capital markets | Private client | Regulatory & Compliance

We help clients succeed by unlocking new value through expertise, trust and scale. We deliver solutions that solve complex challenges faced by asset managers, financial institutions, corporates, high net-worth individuals and family offices.

With a curious mindset, we ask the right questions to get to the right solution, faster. We collaborate to win together, sharing successes and shaping the future of our global business. Our culture of support and recognition provides the tools and opportunities for you to grow, while unlocking the most value for our clients and making your mark with Ocorian.

Expertise: We deliver specialist, tech-enabled solutions for our clients grounded on deep industry expertise.

Trust : We’re a trusted partner to over 8,000 clients globally. We are proud to have long-lasting partnerships with our clients.

Scale : With more than 1,500 colleagues, we operate across 20+ countries, our scale enables us to support our clients globally and locally, providing a seamless client experience across borders and service lines.

Job Description

PURPOSE OF ROLE

The Head of Payroll is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and governance of global payroll operations. This role oversees compliant and timely payroll delivery across multiple jurisdictions, drives continuous improvement, and provides strategic leadership on payroll data, controls, and reporting.

Locations: London or Belfast office.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead global payroll operations, ensuring compliant, accurate and timely delivery across all jurisdictions.
• Manage both outsourced and in‑house payroll providers, acting as senior escalation point for complex issues.
• Own payroll data accuracy, governance, reporting and statutory outputs, including employee cost analysis.
• Partner with Finance to ensure accurate journals, reconciliations and alignment with forecasting and planning tools.
• Maintain strong controls, audit trails and documentation while driving continuous process improvement.
• Deliver payroll strategy, optimisation initiatives, systems integration and support for newly acquired businesses.
• Oversee vendor clustering and management of outsourced payroll partners.
• Provide leadership, development, training and stakeholder management for the payroll team.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Extensive experience in international payroll operations, including preparation, reconciliation, and control frameworks.
• Background in both in‑house and outsourced payroll delivery models.
• Proven people‑management capability within payroll or a similar operational environment.
• Highly numerate with a structured, analytical approach to problem‑solving.
• Strong process orientation, with experience documenting, improving, and embedding controls.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to work to deadlines.
• Confident communicator with strong verbal and written skills, including engagement with senior stakeholders.
• Proficient with payroll systems and advanced Excel skills

Additional Information

All staff are expected to embody our core values that underpin everything that we do and that reflect the skills and behaviours we all need to be successful. These are:

• We are CLIENT CENTRIC – Clients are at the centre of our world, and we’re committed to providing expertise and specialist solutions to meet their most complex challenges.
• We are AMBITIOUS – We aim high. We think and act globally, seizing every opportunity to delight our clients and support our colleagues - wherever in the world they may be.
• We are AGILE – We act on our initiative to get things done for our clients. Our independence gives us the flexibility and freedom to keep things simple, efficient and effective.
• We are COLLABORATIVE – With a curious mindset, we ask the right questions to get to the right solution, for our clients faster. We collaborate to win together and share our successes.
• We are ETHICAL – We behave with integrity at all times and assume positive intent, building trust through responsible actions and honest relationships.

Equal Opportunities for Everyone

Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to make the process easier for you. You can reach us at [email protected] .

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, or veteran, neurodiversity or disability status.