Harmonic Finance™ | Certified B Corp
Interim Payroll Manager | Education Institution
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Interim Payroll Manager | Education Institution
Interim Payroll Manager – Education Institution | West London (Hybrid)
Partnering with a West London education institution, Harmonic is seeking an interim Payroll Manager to provide urgent, hands-on support in a complex, multi-payroll environment.
About This Role
This is an immediate requirement—ideal for:
- A seasoned payroll professional with no prolonged onboarding
- Someone who can assume full payroll ownership from day one
- A leader capable of managing a small team with minimal supervision
The Role
Reporting to senior Finance & HR leadership, your responsibilities include:
- Overseeing end-to-end payroll delivery across:
- ~1,000 staff (monthly payroll)
- Smaller variable/hourly paid populations
- Managing multiple public sector pension schemes, including:
- HMRC reporting obligations (RTI, PAYE, NI deductions)
- Monthly payroll balancing in collaboration with Finance
- Line-managing two Payroll & Pensions Officers
- Cross-functional collaboration with HR and Finance
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Payroll System: iTrent preferred (SAP-to-iTrent transitions considered).
Key Responsibilities
- Execute full payroll lifecycle (administration, processing, reporting)
- Align pension schemes and HMRC compliance at scale
- Ensure accurate, on-time financial submissions
- Support payroll staff while maintaining operational momentum
- Drive clarity and transparency across teams
Requirements
Essential
- Proven payroll leadership in multi-payroll contexts
- Deep knowledge of pension scheme administration (multiple schemes)
- iTrent experience (SAP switchers are exceptions, not the baseline)
- Ability to perform brilliantly under pressure with low tolerance for delay
- Strong interpersonal skills, including stakeholder engagement and multi-level communication
- Immediate availability or short-notice flexibility
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Advantageous
- Public sector or education/healthcare/government payroll experience
- Defined Benefit Pension Scheme familiarity
- SAP or complex payroll admin background
Compensation & Structure
- Day Rate: £400–550/day (flexible for exceptional candidates)
- Contract Length: 6 months + 2 weeks’ internal notice period
- Location: South West London (hybrid), with initial office-based expectation
Timing & Next Steps
- Start Date: Tuesday 7th July 2024 – assumed to fit immediately
- Apply ASAP by emailing: ed.naish@harmonicfinance.com with your CV
No revolutions in payroll. Together, we smooth the mundane—and make it matter.
(Note: In-scope IR35 obligations apply.)
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