Payroll & Benefits Associate Director

Interim Associate Director, Payroll & Benefits

• 12 mnth FTC with the potential of a permanent opportuity afterwards
• Up to £100,000 + Discretionary Bonus + Excellent Benefits
• Canary Wharf, London - 4 days in the office, 1 day from home

Oakleaf Partnership are partnering with a highly regarded and well-established professional services organisation to recruit an interim Associate Director, Payroll & Benefits on a 12 month FTC. This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-profile leadership role with genuine scope to shape the future of payroll and benefits within a complex and evolving business. What the role is: You will take overall responsibility for payroll, benefits and pensions for approximately 1,400 employees across multiple UK entities.Leading a team of six, you will ensure the smooth and compliant delivery of several monthly payrolls covering both salaried and shift-based employees.Alongside business-as-usual leadership, you will review and optimise Workday, strengthen controls and reporting, assess the current operating model and lead key projects, including the potential implementation of a new benefits platform.This is a highly visible role that partners closely with senior stakeholders across Finance, HR and the wider business. Key responsibilities:

• Lead the Payroll and Benefits function, managing a team of six
• Oversee the accurate and timely processing of multiple monthly payrolls
• Ensure compliance across payroll, pensions and benefits
• Drive optimisation of Workday and payroll-related systems
• Identify and deliver process improvements and transformation initiatives
• Evaluate and implement a benefits platform
• Support annual bonus, LTIP and salary review processes
• Produce payroll reporting, including gender and ethnicity pay gap data
• Partner closely with HR and Finance to deliver a best-in-class service

Skills and Experience

• Significant experience leading payroll and benefits within a complex organisation
• Strong technical expertise in UK payroll legislation, pensions and compliance
• Proven experience delivering payroll transformation and process improvement
• Advanced Workday knowledge and systems optimisation experience
• A supportive, resilient and collaborative leadership style
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Strong Excel and analytical skills
• Experience implementing a benefits platform would be advantageous

Why join this organisation?

This is a business with a strong reputation, substantial investment and a clear commitment to modernising its people and finance infrastructure. Payroll is increasingly recognised as a strategic function, and this role offers the opportunity to make a real impact.You will inherit a technically strong and dedicated team that is eager for leadership, direction and development. The business is open to fresh ideas and willing to invest in systems, technology and process improvements to create a best-in-class payroll and benefits function.For someone who enjoys combining operational leadership with strategic transformation, this role offers the autonomy, visibility and support needed to deliver meaningful change.