Senior Payroll Manager

About the Role

We are searching for a seasoned Senior Payroll Manager to oversee a well-established outsourced payroll operation within a growing professional services firm based in Kilkenny with blended working arrangements. This senior leadership role involves managing two Payroll Managers and a broader team of Payroll Specialists along with handling a client portfolio. Profound expertise in delivering outsourced multi-client payroll functions and comprehensive knowledge of Irish payroll rules and regulations are essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and foster the professional growth of two Payroll Managers and the wider payroll team by encouraging high performance and engagement.
• Ensure precise and timely execution of payroll services for multiple clients, consistently meeting agreed service level agreements and quality standards.
• Manage an assigned group of clients and serve as a senior escalation point for intricate payroll issues.
• Maintain full adherence to Irish payroll laws, Revenue mandates, and legal obligations.
• Establish and nurture strong relationships with external clients, offering expert payroll advice to maintain high client satisfaction and loyalty.
• Oversee operational metrics including KPIs, workload balancing, resource allocation, and service excellence.
• Champion payroll enhancements through automation, streamlining processes, and technological advancements.
• Lead or participate in payroll software rollouts and transformational projects.
• Collaborate closely with senior leaders in HR, Finance, IT, and other business units.
• Support financial planning and cost control activities within the payroll department.
• Assist in developing client proposals, pricing strategies, and business development initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Extensive payroll experience of 8 to 10+ years with a minimum of 3 to 5 years in managerial or senior leadership roles.
• Proven track record managing outsourced payroll services across multiple external clients.
• IPASS certification is mandatory.
• Possession of a third-level degree in Payroll, HR, Finance, or a related field.
• Expertise in Irish payroll legislation, compliance standards, and best practices.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing and developing payroll teams including managers or team leads.
• Experience handling complex payroll challenges and acting as a senior contact for escalations.
• Successful involvement in payroll system implementations, automation, or significant process improvement initiatives.
• Strong background in client and stakeholder management and relationship building.
• Experience working with SLAs and performance monitoring via KPIs.
• Commercial acumen with awareness of client servicing, retention, and growth drivers.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This role is best suited for candidates currently holding titles such as Senior Payroll Manager, Payroll Services Manager, Head of Payroll, Payroll Operations Manager, Payroll Bureau Manager, or Senior Manager - Payroll. Successful applicants are expected to come from an outsourced payroll, payroll bureau, accountancy practice, or professional services environment managing multiple client payrolls and leading a sizeable payroll team. Candidates whose experience is predominantly limited to single-entity internal payroll without significant outsourced or multi-client payroll exposure may not meet the job criteria.

Additional Information

This position is offered by Berkley Business & Technology, a consultancy specialising in placing professionals across Ireland, the UK, and Europe.