4666- Payroll Implementation Lead (UK Payroll)

Manpower are currently seeking an interim Payroll Implementation Lead (UK Payroll), to work with our global FMCG client Unilever, renowned for brands such as Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple, and become an integral part of their fast-paced FMCG environment.

The position is based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. This is a full-time temporary role to run for 12 months, requiring 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. The office days will be Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with the remainder of the week working remotely. Compensation for this role is competitive, paying £55,000 per annum, pro rata, depending upon experience.

The role currently offers a mix of remote and onsite working, subject to adjustment based on business requirements.

About the role

The Payroll Implementation Lead is accountable for the successful implementation of payroll operations under the Transition Service Agreement (TSA), ensuring accurate, timely and compliant payroll from Day 1 across in-scope markets. Working to the principle that "everything that runs payroll today keeps running as it does today", the role delivers legal-entity and payroll set-up, data migration, testing, parallel runs and cutover with zero disruption to employees.

The role sits at the intersection of vendors, technology, HR and Finance. It requires the ability to track and progress a high volume of concurrent requests against short, non-negotiable payroll timelines, while maintaining rigorous governance, controls and clear escalation. It combines hands-on payroll and systems expertise (Workday, SAP, GL / Finance) with strong program delivery and stakeholder management.

Key responsibilities
1. TSA Design, Requirements & Implementation

Support the development of the TSA design, plan and Day 1 operating model, translating program principles into country-level implementation workplans.
Lead local business requirements gathering and work with payroll vendors to confirm statutory, tax and social security requirements per market.
Review payroll requirements documentation from vendors to implement the TSA, applying best practice and challenging gaps before build.
Deliver required service designs and solutions by working closely with the vendor and project team throughout implementation.

2. SOPs & Payroll Documentation

Provide best-practice guidance and templates and, where SOPs are missing, create and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and process documentation for each market.
Review all payroll documentation required to support live payroll processing and ensure it is version-controlled and audit-ready.
Maintain knowledge materials and trackers to safeguard operational continuity and knowledge transfer to the TSA Run team.

3. Data Migration, Testing, Parallel Runs & Cutover

Support data migration, including mock data loads, mapping and validation of master data accuracy from Workday to the payroll vendor platform.
Develop and execute test plans and test scripts; validate payroll functionality end-to-end (gross-to-net, deductions, benefits, T&A inputs).
Prepare and run parallel runs - identify suitable pay periods, coordinate data loads and validate results against baseline to confirm accuracy.
Participate in cutover and go-live readiness, including validation of data conversion accuracy, reconciliation and sign-off criteria.
Review and validate inputs including Benefits, Time & Attendance (T&A) data and integrated feeds, providing inputs as required by the vendor.

4. Systems, Integrations & Finance (Workday - SAP - GL)

Own the payroll view of key integrations and interfaces, ensuring HR, T&A, payroll, banking and middleware feeds are accurate, approved and ready.
Ensure Workday remains the source of truth across the TSA bridge and that people-data integrations reconcile cleanly to the payroll engine.
Coordinate payroll accounting into the General Ledger (GL) via the Finance R2R process, ensuring correct company codes, cost centers and journals while cost-center data remains in SAP during the IT TSA.
Identify manual vs. integrated inputs, document each manual process, and confirm the post-Day 1 owner and control point for everyone.

5. Governance, Controls & Escalation

Maintain governance for country documentation, delivery plans and all status reporting needs across the implementation.
Operate within the escalation matrix ensuring proper, timely escalation of risks and issues with clear ownership and follow-through.
Provide risk and issue (RAID) management for the regional implementation, driving mitigation before the Day 1 readiness checkpoint.
Ensure payroll operations meet legal compliance, Code of Business Practice (COBP), Global Financial Controls Framework (GFCF) and SOX control requirements.

6. Stakeholder Management & PMO

Manage cross-functional interdependencies across Legal Entities, Finance, Tax, IT/HRIT, Reward, Treasury, vendors and other counterparts.
Provide project management office (PMO) support: maintain the country delivery plan, participate in status meetings and contribute to program reporting.
Act as a trusted point of contact for the market, managing expectations and communicating clearly with technical and senior audiences alike.
Track a high volume of concurrent requests to short timelines, prioritizing ruthlessly against payroll cut-off calendars and go/no-go deadlines.

7. TSA Payroll Processing Support

Where required, support TSA payroll processing - preparing, verifying and submitting accurate payroll each cycle, including timekeeping data, wages, deductions and statutory calculations.
Run pre-processing audit reports to identify errors or unusual variances; reconcile period-end payroll reports.
Monitor payroll SLAs and KPIs, perform root-cause analysis on missed targets and implement corrective actions.

About you

Proven experience in payroll implementation, transition or transformation, ideally within a multi-country / carve-out or M&A context.
Strong hands-on knowledge of payroll systems and integrations - Workday and SAP - and of GL / Finance interfaces and payroll accounting.
Demonstrated payroll processing expertise (gross-to-net, statutory deductions, benefits, T&A) and understanding of local labor, tax and social-security requirements.
Experience managing third-party payroll vendors, service designs, SLAs and vendor governance.
Solid grasp of test management, parallel runs, data migration and cutover methodology.
Ability to manage and track multiple concurrent requests under tight, fixed payroll deadlines with accuracy and composure.
Strong governance, controls and compliance discipline (SOX, COBP, GFCF); confident with risk/issue management and escalation.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills across technical, HR, Finance and senior leadership audiences.
Project management capability (PMO, RAID, status reporting); comfortable in a fast-moving, evolving program environment.
Payroll certification (e.g. FPC / CPP) and relevant degree desirable.

Additional Information
Kingston working environment:

Contractors who are based at Kingston will be eligible to get free parking at a local carpark
There is a Staff Shop located on the Ground Floor next to the main entrance, where Contingent Workers can buy discounted Unilever products.
A canteen
A Gym is available for use on the Ground Floor (with subscription).
Facilities in the gym include cardiovascular equipment, resistance machines, spin bikes, free weights area, boxing equipment and a stretch/matted area. Classes are also available and can be booked directly with the Gym. Shower facilities are available in the changing rooms, along with hairdryers.

If you receive suspicious outreach claiming to be from us, please contact us via the ManpowerGroup website.