Next Plc
Payroll Manager

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The Role
As a Payroll Manager at NEXT, you will oversee and manage our operational payroll teams to deliver an efficient, strictly controlled payroll service to the business. You will make a real difference by taking responsibility for all GB payrolls, ensuring colleagues across all business areas are supported.
Working closely with the Group Payroll Manager and other departmental managers, you will help innovate, develop, and deploy new ideas and practices. While you will bring your own self-motivation to the role, we will provide the assistance and training needed to help you develop your skills and settle into our Head Office environment.
What You'll Take On
- Managing the operational payroll services for all business units, successfully navigating different pay frequencies, reference periods, and complex Terms and Conditions.
- Providing management, appraisals, and development support to 2 direct and 12 indirect reports.
- Collaborating with the Services and Development Payroll Manager to test new initiatives, review input/output, and continuously improve our process flows.
- Building strong working relationships with key internal and external contacts, managing the service provided to statutory reporting bodies like HMRC, external auditors, and The DWP.
- Working alongside the Payroll Technical Specialist to produce top-level KPIs and accurate statistical information to measure performance and monitor workloads.
- Maintaining strict control over Bacs, payment reconciliations, and internal system access while ensuring all statutory obligations and data protection policies are adhered to.
- Acting as the escalation point for complex payroll queries, analysing high-level data and trends to problem-solve overall issues.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What You'll Bring
- Solid people management and leadership skills, with a proven track record of mentoring teams in a dynamic, large-scale Payroll department.
- Strong commercial aptitude and a highly numerate approach, supported by experience handling complex payrolls for a workforce of 10,000+ employees.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, allowing you to build effective relationships, constructively challenge, and fully understand business needs.
- Good working knowledge of taxable benefits and statutory reporting requirements.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the drive and determination to make a positive difference to the organisation.
- While not essential, a CIPD qualification or prior experience using Oracle systems would be highly beneficial.
About Us
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
- 25% off most NEXT, MADE*, Lipsy*, Gap* and Victoria's Secret* products (*when purchased through NEXT)
- Company performance based bonus
- Sharesave scheme
- On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas
- 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty
- Early VIP access to sale stock
- Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops
- Restaurants with great food at amazing prices
- Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services
- Free on-site parking
- Financial Wellbeing - Save, track and enhance your financial wellbeing
- Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification
- Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store
- Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other
- Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions and more


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Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change.
Accessibility
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
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