Senior Payroll Specialist

Sulzer is a leading engineering company with a proud heritage of innovation. Join our global team to grow your expertise and develop innovative solutions that enable a prosperous and more sustainable society.

About the role Sulzer is a global leader in fluid engineering, specialising in pumping, mixing, separation and application technologies that help customers operate more efficiently and sustainably. With over 13,500 employees across approximately 160 sites worldwide and annual sales of around CHF 3.6 billion, Sulzer supports customers across industries including water, energy and industrial markets.
This opportunity sits within our HR Shared Services team in Leeds, supporting payroll operations across multiple UK legal entities. It's an exciting time to join the team as we continue to evolve, improve processes and deliver significant business change. In addition to ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of monthly and weekly payroll activities, you will play a key role in supporting and driving HR Shared Services transformation initiatives, helping to improve efficiency, enhance the employee experience and support the ongoing development of our payroll and HR operations
As a growing and evolving function, this role offers the chance to make a genuine impact, contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and support a business that is investing heavily in its people, systems and processes.

Your Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

• You will play a key role in ensuring payroll accuracy for approximately 1,250 UK employees, supporting 8 monthly payrolls and 1 weekly payroll across multiple UK legal entities

• Process payroll changes including starters, leavers, absences and contractual amendments.

• Ensure accurate calculation and processing of overtime, shift premiums and other variable payments.

• Validate payroll data received from multiple sources, including integrated systems and manual submissions.

• Reconcile payroll information and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.

• Ensure payrolls are processed accurately and in line with legislative and company requirements.

• Respond to payroll-related queries from employees and stakeholders.

• Support payroll reporting and audit requirements.

• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and payroll process optimisation.

To Succeed in This Role, You Will Need:

• Proven experience in end-to-end payroll processing.

• Strong understanding of payroll legislation and payroll best practice.

• Experience processing variable pay elements such as overtime, shift allowances and absence-related payments.

• Comfortable working with payroll and HR systems and managing data from multiple sources.

• Excellent attention to detail and a highly organised approach.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Able to build effective relationships with internal stakeholders and employees.

• Experience of iTrent, Workday or payroll implementation projects would be advantageous but is not essential

What we offer you

We’ve recently invested significantly in modernising our Leeds facility - creating a brighter, more efficient, and more advanced workspace designed to support high‑quality work and a great employee experience. Alongside our upgraded facilities, you’ll benefit from:

Core Benefits

• A competitive base salary

• Annual bonus linked to business and individual performance, paid as a single annual payment.

• Private Medical Insurance – Individual private medical cover provided through Aviva

• Medicash Health Cash Plan (covering everyday healthcare expenses such as dental, optical and GP services)

• 33 days’ holiday

• Defined pension contribution

• Employee Assistance Programmes

• Discounts on shopping, entertainment & lifestyle

• Costco membership option

• Discounted personal car leasing for you, family & friends

• Long Service Awards

• Ongoing learning through Sulzer Learning Pathways

• Armed Forces Support – As a Silver Award holder of the MoD Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, we actively support veterans, reservists and Cadet Adult Volunteers. This includes policies that enable time for training, camps and deployment, alongside access to a growing internal military network.

Onsite Perks

• Free, secure parking with EV charging

• Multi-faith prayer room

• Newly modernised work areas

• 24/7 onsite gym

• Subsidised vending machines

• Subsidised Canteen offering hot and cold food

• A vibrant Sports & Social Club with regular events, celebrations, prize draws, wellbeing initiatives and activities that make Sulzer a great place to work.

Working Pattern

We operate a 37-hour working week with a flexible working arrangement, allowing employees to accrue and bank additional hours towards service leave. We also offer a hybrid working model, typically consisting of 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home, although this may vary depending on business requirements and operational needs.

Sulzer is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in the strength of a diverse workforce and are committed to offering an inclusive work environment.
 

We are proud to be recognized as a Top Employer 2026 in Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland, South Africa, the UK and the USA.