People Operations & Payroll Manager

We are looking for someone who wants to remain close to the work, take direct ownership of deliverables, resolve operational issues and lead through their own contribution as well as through others. The role covers payroll, onboarding, contracts, employee changes, benefits administration, HR systems, mobility, immigration and offboarding. It will also identify practical opportunities to simplify processes, improve accuracy and reduce manual administration through better systems, automation and appropriate use of AI.  We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys making People Operations work well. This person will take pride in creating order, maintaining accuracy and ensuring employees receive reliable and helpful support. The successful candidate will be naturally organised, attentive to detail and comfortable managing multiple deadlines and recurring processes. They will take ownership of their responsibilities, anticipate potential issues and follow actions through to completion without needing continual direction. They will be practical, approachable and service-minded, with the patience to support employees and the confidence to work effectively with senior stakeholders. When something goes wrong, they will remain calm, investigate the details and focus on finding a workable solution. Key Responsibilities: Payroll and People Operations Delivery: Manage the end-to-end monthly payroll process across multiple countries, working closely with Finance, internal stakeholders and external payroll providers. Prepare, check and submit accurate payroll data, including new starters, leavers, salary changes, bonuses, absences and other employee changes. Complete payroll reconciliations and checks, investigate discrepancies and ensure issues are resolved promptly. Maintain clear payroll calendars, controls, records and approval processes. Coordinate employee onboarding, contract preparation, employee changes and offboarding. Maintain accurate employee records, personnel files and HR system data. Manage benefits administration and respond to employee questions relating to payroll, contracts, benefits and People processes. Coordinate immigration, work permits, relocations and international employee movements with internal teams and external providers. Ensure People Operations activities comply with employment requirements, data protection obligations and company policies. Act as a reliable point of contact for operational People queries, providing clear, timely and helpful support. Systems, Data and Reporting: Own the day-to-day administration, accuracy and effective use of our HR systems and tools. Use Excel, HR systems and payroll data to identify discrepancies, resolve data issues and provide accurate information to stakeholders. Produce regular payroll, headcount and People Operations reports. Document operational processes and create clear, practical guidance for employees and managers. Process Improvement, Automation and AI: Assess and document existing People Operations workflows during the first 90 days, establishing a clear baseline for current manual processing. Identify and prioritise opportunities to simplify processes, improve controls and systems, and reduce repetitive administrative work. Develop and implement a practical automation roadmap across agreed priority areas. Deliver a measurable reduction of at least 25% in manual processing effort within the first 12 months. Use existing systems, automation and appropriate AI-enabled solutions to improve operational efficiency and scalability. Ensure that process improvements maintain or enhance accuracy, compliance, data protection and the employee experience. Measure and report the impact of improvements, including time saved, reduced manual activity, accuracy and service quality. Team and Cross-functional Support: Coordinate the work of People Operations team members and provide practical guidance and hands-on support where required. Work closely with HR, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal and IT to ensure employee processes run smoothly. Take direct ownership of operational issues and remain actively involved until they are fully resolved.   What we are looking for: Someone who enjoys People Operations and takes pride in delivering an accurate, reliable service. Has strong hands-on payroll experience and is comfortable personally managing payroll activities.  Is exceptionally organised and able to manage multiple deadlines and recurring processes.  Pays close attention to detail and is confident in checking complex employee and payroll data.  Is technically confident and enjoys working with HR systems, spreadsheets and digital tools.  Takes ownership of problems and follows them through to completion.  Communicates clearly, patiently and professionally with employees and stakeholders. • Looks for practical ways to improve processes without overcomplicating them.  Is comfortable operating in a changing international business.  Is willing to support the team directly and contribute wherever needed.  We are particularly interested in someone who: Takes personal responsibility for the quality and accuracy of their work. Enjoys being close to operational detail and completing work, not only designing processes. Is highly organised and creates structure in a busy or changing environment. Anticipates deadlines, risks and dependencies rather than waiting to be reminded. Has a strong service mindset and genuinely enjoys helping employees. Communicates clearly, patiently and professionally. Is curious about systems, technology, automation and more efficient ways of working. Challenges inefficient processes constructively and suggests practical improvements. Is comfortable learning through doing and adapting as the business evolves. Works collaboratively and is willing to support colleagues outside their immediate responsibilities. Remains calm, dependable and solutions-focused when prioritie