Head of Payroll
Salary: Competitive Plus Benefits
Location: Manchester Store Support Centre, Manchester, M4 3AL
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Group HR
Closing date: 21 August 2025
Requisition ID: 400010340
Our people are at the heart of our business, and we are looking for those that are just as passionate about that as we are. Join our People team, and come with us on a journey as we transform the way we do HR. Our team is made up of business partners working with leaders to get the most out of their teams, specialist knowledge in our centres of expertise, and colleague-centric, efficient people services. Our work ranges from making sure that our 150,000+ colleagues are paid on time to attracting brilliant talent to drive our strategy, to unlocking the skills and capability of our colleagues. This is a fast-moving business, and we make sure our policies and rewards keep up with that too. We know flexibility is important and helps you be more productive so there's more choice than ever about where and when you work. When it comes to your development, we'll support your growth in your own unique way. When you join us, you’ll be joining a team that knows just what it means to be happy and engaged, and who makes a real impact across our business.
Why join us
Joining the team at Sainsbury's as the Head of Payroll offers a unique opportunity to lead a critical function that impacts over 2 million payments and £4.1 billion in value annually across various business units. As a key leader in the organisation, you will drive continuous improvement, maintain high service standards, and collaborate with diverse teams to ensure accurate and timely payment processing while upholding statutory compliance. With a focus on team development, stakeholder engagement, and strategic decision-making, this role provides a platform to showcase your expertise and leadership skills, within a dynamic and supportive environment.
What you'll do
You'll lead the overall Payroll team, ensuring the accurate and timely processing and control of payroll across the business. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will be responsible for maintaining payroll on a weekly, periodic, or ad hoc basis, overseeing the preparation and reconciliation of payments to colleagues and third parties, and providing professional service and advice to the wider People and Finance teams. Your role will involve resource planning, continuous improvement initiatives, upskilling and training of team members, and ensuring that payroll processes align with company and statutory policies and procedures. Additionally, you will oversee validation of all remote input to the payroll system, collaborate with stakeholders to enhance the colleague experience, drive strategic decision-making, and maintain high standards of data confidentiality and compliance.
Who you are
You're a proven leader with deep expertise in all aspects of high-volume payroll service delivery, with experience gained from a similar-sized organisation, ideally in retail, or hospitality or other similar industry. Your ability to navigate complex HR procedures across diverse business units, coupled with your strong analytical skills and sound technical knowledge, enables you to identify trends, extract insights from data, and drive effective interventions to resolve issues. With your excellent communication skills, team leadership capabilities, and commercial acumen, you lead a high-performing team to deliver efficient, professional, and credible payroll services while ensuring colleague data confidentiality and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders.
Essential Criteria
- Demonstrable expertise in payroll service delivery across large, multi-business environments, including statutory compliance, payroll controls, and financial reconciliation
- Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, with experience in resource planning, coaching, and managing performance in high-volume service operations
- Evidence of using data to identify trends and drive improvements, including analysing service delivery metrics and implementing process enhancements
- Experience managing payroll systems and integrations, ensuring data accuracy, authorisation controls, and compliance with HMRC and other regulatory requirements
- Track record of building effective stakeholder relationships, including third-party providers, to support strategic decision-making and resolve complex issues
#LI-EG1
We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new - whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:
Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to get 10% off at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat after 4 weeks. This increases to 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 65% of salary, depending on how we perform (in cash and shares).
Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy additional holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, pay advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. You'll also receive a company car cash allowance unless you are going to travel 10,000 business miles in your role, then you'll be able to choose a car. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme, you will also be eligible for private healthcare too.
Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.
Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).
