Payroll Manager

Who are we

Founded in 1896, Knight Frank was registered as Knight Frank LLP a Limited Liability Partnership, on 3 November 2003, registered in England & Wales at 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 8AN with the registered number of OC305934. Headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies. We work responsibly in partnership to enhance people's lives and environments in over 50 Markets, 600+ Offices, 20,000+ People, 1 Global Network.

At the heart of all we do are our Clients. A relationship built on trust is vital. As trusted partners in property, we act with integrity and care, understanding our clients’ unique needs and consistently thinking about the bigger picture to provide personalised, clear and considered advice across all areas of property. Through our deep understanding of key markets and sectors – both emerging and established – we are dedicated to meeting and exceeding their property goals.

A true partnership is a balanced one, and our People are passionate about, and committed to, making our business inclusive and diverse. We give every individual the space and opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the immense value they bring. We empower everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourage them to use their voice in how we can make a positive impact as a firm and shape the future of real estate, the built environment and the impact on the communities we serve. Our collaborative and engaged teams provide excellent and dedicated client service. In our workplace, opinions are respected, everyone is invited to contribute to the success of our business and innovation, and new ideas are celebrated.

In 2021 we celebrated our 125th anniversary and set out Our Desired Future, cemented in three pillars: People Potential, Client Centricity and always Creating our Future, together. Learn more about what sets us apart here.

About The Role

Knight Frank is looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to lead the end-to-end UK payroll, taking full responsibility for the UK monthly payroll which consists of 3000 plus employees, operating across  7 pay groups. This leadership role is responsible for ensuring the accurate, compliant and timely delivery of payroll services while driving standardized processes, ensuring employees are accurately paid on time while ensuring the payroll system is fully compliant.

The successful candidate will provide strong leadership to the payroll function, manage key stakeholder relationships across Finance and the broader business as well as external providers, leveraging technology platforms including SAP and Workday to optimise payroll operations, reporting, and employee experience.

Who we are

At Knight Frank, we believe that property is personal. We’re a collaborative partnership with over 125 years of experience leading the property industry and 740 offices in more than 50 international territories, having advised on more than 500 billion pounds of real estate.

But more than anything, we’re experts. From luxurious residential developments to iconic skyscrapers, prestigious landmarks to historical rural estates, we’re operating at the top of our field, influencing the fabric of communities, and shaping the skylines of tomorrow.

For you, that means unrivalled opportunities to grow, develop, and succeed in a rewarding career. It means control of your own destiny, the freedom to impact, and all the tools you need to become an expert in your own right.

We have launched a new Group Vision and Strategy, setting out our ambitions as a global business in three key areas - People, Clients, and the Future.  Alongside this, we have created new three-year plans for each of our UK Divisions and Sub-Divisions. These plans set out the priorities and initiatives that the UK business will focus on and will contribute towards the desired futures articulated in the Group Vision and Strategy.

What you will be responsible for

Process management

·       Full responsibility for the UK monthly payroll which consists of 3000 plus employees within 7 pay groups, ensuring employees are paid on time and correctly and that the payroll system is fully compliant.

·       Monthly processing and full reconciliation of the payroll, review error and exceptions report, net pay variance review, staff numbers review, gross to net reconciliation, creation of BACS files for review with UK group Controller.

·       Regularly review and improve payroll processing and validation to reduce manual intervention.

·       Monthly Real Time information reconciliation and returns to HM Revenue & Customs.

·       Oversight and reconciliations of all payments and deductions, including statutory tax liabilities.

·       Overseeing the monthly auto enrollment process, including automatic enrollment, opt in’s, opt outs, ceasing active membership and re-enrollment.

·       Work with in-house IT and external SAP consultants as required to ensure process and reporting is compliant, logging system issues as required through to resolution.

·       Manage key events including Participation/bonus payments, pay and remuneration reviews throughout the year.

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to ensure policies and procedures remain fit for purpose, while serving as the escalation point for complex issues.
• Partner closely with HR Operations to resolve payroll-related queries.

Systems & Process Management

·       Act as the business lead for payroll, ensuring effective utilisation of SAP and Workday platforms.

·       Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, automation, and reporting.

·       Partner with HR and IT teams to maintain robust employee data management and governance practices.

·       Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve the employee experience.

Compliance & Risk Management

·       Ensure full compliance with payroll legislation, tax regulations, pension requirements, employment law, and internal policies.

·       Maintain strong payroll controls and governance frameworks.

·       Lead internal and external audit activities relating to payroll processes and controls.

·       Manage payroll-related risks and implement corrective actions where required.

Stakeholder Management

·       Partner with senior leaders across Finance, HR, Reward, IT, and Operations.

·       Provide expert advice on payroll legislation, systems, and best practice.

·       Deliver high-quality payroll reporting, workforce analytics, and management information to support business decision-making.

·       Manage relationships with external payroll providers, software vendors, pension administrators, and regulatory bodies.

Team Leadership

·       Lead a team five payroll specialists.

·       Provide payroll training and development across all levels.

·       Hold weekly meetings to track key tasks, meet deadlines, resolve day-to-day process issues and plan upcoming monthly activities.

Required Experience

·       Significant payroll leadership experience within a medium-to-large large corporate environment.

·       Proven experience managing end-to-end payroll operations in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.

·       Strong practical experience with SAP Payroll and HR Workday, or equivalent enterprise HR and payroll systems.

·       Demonstrated experience leading payroll transformation, process improvement, or systems implementation projects.

·       Strong understanding of payroll legislation, taxation, pensions, benefits administration, and compliance requirements.

·       Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.

- Strong payroll transformation experience, including leading or supporting payroll system implementations, upgrades and process improvement initiatives.

·       Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior leadership level.

·       A current professional payroll qualification (CIPP) or equivalent. Any additional finance/HR or business qualification is desirable.

What Success Looks Like

·       Payrolls delivered accurately and on time with exceptional levels of compliance.

·       Effective leadership and continuous development of the payroll team.

·       Continuous optimisation of SAP and Workday capabilities.

·       Strengthened controls, governance, and audit outcomes.

·       Successful delivery of payroll and people systems transformation initiatives.

Competitive salary

Please note: this is a Direct Search led by Knight Frank. Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs, even if provided by PSL agencies.