Payroll & Benefits Specialist (EMEA) | City | 5 days office

Responsibilities

Payroll & Benefits Specialist (EMEA)
£250-£300 per day | 12 month contract
City | 5 days office based – Non negotiable
Start ASAP

Meraki Talent is working with a Financial Services firm looking for an experienced Payroll & Benefits Specialist to join their HR function. This is an exciting opportunity for a payroll professional with strong UK and EMEA experience to take ownership of multiple payrolls, support benefits administration across Europe, and contribute to key payroll transformation projects. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of payroll services across a European employee population. You will act as a key point of contact for payroll and benefits queries, manage relationships with external providers, support audit activities, and drive continuous process improvement initiatives.

Payroll & Benefits Responsibilities:

• Oversee the full payroll lifecycle for approximately 1,300 employees across EMEA, ensuring accurate and timely monthly processing.
• Coordinate payroll inputs, undertaking detailed data checks, reconciliations, payroll calculations, and statutory payments.
• Work collaboratively with HR and HRIS teams to obtain and validate employee data, resolving discrepancies ahead of payroll deadlines.
• Provide first-line support for employee payroll enquiries, handling queries promptly and ensuring a high level of service.
• Administer taxable benefits through payroll, including the preparation and submission of P11D information where applicable.
• Contribute to payroll transformation and improvement initiatives, including system implementations, testing, and enhancements to existing processes.
• Administer the full employee benefits lifecycle, coordinating enrolments and changes for joiners and leavers across a broad range of benefits.
• Manage benefit schemes including private medical insurance, risk benefits, cycle-to-work, gym memberships, childcare vouchers, and share plans.
• Calculate and validate benefit-in-kind values and voluntary deductions, ensuring accurate information is reflected within payroll.
• Deliver engaging benefits inductions and onboarding sessions, helping employees understand their available benefits and pension arrangements.
• Act as a trusted point of contact for benefits and pension queries, working with providers and internal stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Monitor changes to European benefits and pensions legislation, ensuring schemes and processes remain compliant with regulatory requirements.