Payroll Manager

Who are Culina?

Culina is the UK’s leading independent specialist supply chain partner, trusted by some of the nation’s best recognised food, fast-moving consumer goods (FMGC) and retail brands. We're proud to employ over 22,000 colleagues across 100+ locations nationwide, supported by a fleet of more than 5,500 trucks and trailers delivering every day.

We currently have an exciting opportunity within Central Functions - our Central Functions are the teams that support our entire business, providing the expertise, systems and services that keep our operations running smoothly. These departments include HR, Finance, IT, Procurement, and other specialist support functions, all working together to enable business success.

We're looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to lead our Transport and Ambient Payroll Shared Services team. This is a fantastic opportunity for a payroll professional with strong leadership experience to drive service excellence, lead transformational projects, and ensure payroll operations are delivered accurately, efficiently, and in full compliance with legislation.

As Payroll Manager, you'll play a key role in shaping and delivering our Payroll Shared Services strategy, supporting continuous improvement, and partnering with stakeholders across the business to provide an exceptional payroll service.

Life in this role

• Lead, coach and develop the Payroll Shared Services team, creating a high-performing and customer-focused culture.
• Support the Group Payroll Director in delivering the Payroll Shared Services strategy and operational objectives.
• Manage payroll-related projects, including legislative changes, process improvements, and system enhancements.
• Oversee payroll operations, ensuring all payroll transactions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in line with company policies and legal requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery, increase efficiency, and standardise processes.
• Utilise SAP, HCM Air and legacy payroll systems to improve data accuracy, reporting and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with payroll legislation, company policies, and governance requirements.
• Develop and monitor service delivery KPIs, implementing corrective actions where required.
• Manage relationships with external payroll and service providers.
• Work closely with HR Directors, HR Business Partners, managers and key stakeholders to support business objectives and deliver an excellent employee experience.
• Act as a subject matter expert on payroll processes, policies and compliance matters.

What you’ll need ...

We're looking for a confident and proactive payroll leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys driving operational excellence.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Extensive Payroll Shared Services (HRSS) knowledge and experience.
• Strong experience managing payroll, HR and time & attendance systems.
• CIPP Level 5 qualification.
• Minimum 5 years' payroll experience, including at least 3 years in a management or supervisory position.
• Experience managing payroll operations within a high-volume environment.
• Strong leadership, coaching and team development skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Experience supporting multiple stakeholders across different legal entities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism and confidentiality.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.