Payroll Administrator

About us

Hello, we’re Reach. Every day, our trusted news, stories and content connect with millions of people where they live - whether that’s on their social feed or at their neighbourhood newsstand; through their local community or their take on the hot topic of the day.

We're home to more than 120 brands - from household names like the Mirror, Express, Daily Star and Daily Record, to local titles like MyLondon, BelfastLive, and the Manchester Evening News, and brands making a splash in the US like the Irish Star.

It's our ability to understand people and the things that matter to them that makes us Britain and Ireland's largest commercial news publisher. We reach around 70% of the UK's online population, 10% of the US online population, and over 100 million social followers around the world, connecting with them on who they are, where they live and what they love.

Your story, with Reach

As a modern media organisation, we're much more than just news. And it takes a wide range of people and skills to serve diverse audiences, customers and communities like we do.

We know everyone has their own story to tell, so we’ve built an environment where every background is respected and every day is a day to explore.

We’ll help you build a career that works with your life, while giving you the space to create and grow.

Please note this is a 6 Month FTC 

At Reach, we process payroll for circa 2,500 employees, covering complex scenarios involving casuals, shifts, overtime, and benefits. We are looking for a Payroll Administrator to join us and ensure every single person is paid accurately and on time, every time.

We’re a high-performing team that adheres to strict payroll deadlines and meets tight SLAs for employee queries. You'll be the expert who handles the most complex calculations with confidence and discretion.

What you’ll be doing:

• Complex Payroll Processing: You'll manage the end-to-end process for approximately 2,500 employees, handling everything from basic pay to intricate shift patterns and overtime.
• Manual Calculations: You’re comfortable stepping outside the system to manually calculate complex items like back pay, termination payments, HMRC tax codes, and family leave pay.
• Benefits & Pensions: You’ll accurately process pension contributions and manage employee benefits administration within payroll.
• Problem Resolution: You’ll manage overpayments, identify anomalies, and resolve employee queries efficiently within our agreed SLAs.
• Collaborate: You’ll work closely within HR and Finance, preparing reports and resolving complex queries to keep our stakeholders informed and our employees happy.

What you’ll need to succeed:

• Proven Payroll Experience: You have solid experience in a fast-paced, high-volume payroll environment.
• Calculation Confidence: You thrive on numerical accuracy and can handle complex manual calculations without breaking a sweat.
• UK Legislation Know-How: You have strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation (PAYE, NI, statutory leave, pensions).
• Discretion: You handle sensitive financial information with the utmost confidentiality.
• Deadline Driven: You work well under pressure and meet strict deadlines without compromising accuracy.
• A Helpful Approach: You’re a clear communicator who can explain complex pay queries to employees in a way that’s easy to understand.
• System Savvy: If you’ve used Zellis before, that’s a massive plus, but as long as you’re comfortable with payroll platforms and data uploads, you’ll fit right in.

How we'll look after you

We take good care of our people - and that means more than just a pay packet. Whatever your role, you'll get a range of benefits, including:

• 25 days' holiday (plus bank holidays), as well as an extra day after you've been with us for three, five and 10 years. We also have a scheme to help you buy extra holiday if you want to.

• An extra day's paid leave each year to volunteer for a cause close to your community or your heart.

• Big moment day - an extra day’s paid leave for a moment that matters to you - like getting married, moving house or welcoming a new addition to the family (human or furry!)

• Bonus scheme - you'll get a stake in our success and a chance to add to your annual earnings.

• Help saving for your retirement - we'll match your company pension contributions up to 6% and you can contribute through salary sacrifice.

• Supportive and progressive people policies - we’re proud to have a range of policies to support people in their lives in and outside work, including enhanced family leave and policies to promote flexibility, inclusion and progression. We believe you shouldn’t have to wait to join us to know what to expect from us, which is why we share this overview of the policies we have in place to support families and carers. If there's something you want to understand more about, just ask - it won’t make a difference to your application.

• A healthcare cash plan - giving you money back for a range of medical expenses and fast access to doctor's appointments.

• Car lease scheme - you can buy a brand new electric or hybrid car through our leasing partner, and pay for it through salary sacrifice.

• Wellbeing support - including a 24/7 assistance programme for you and your family.

• Access to lots of discounts - including 15% off with Reach's very own online marketplace, Yimbly, where you can buy everything from homewares to beauty products.

• Interest-free loans - including for season tickets and technology.

Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.