Payroll and Benefits Manager

Affinity Water

Payroll and Benefits Manager overseeing payroll services for 1,700 employees at Affinity Water. Leading a team to ensure accurate payroll and employee benefits administration.

Posted 5/9/2026full-timeHatfield • 🇬🇧 United KingdomMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Oversee the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring all employees are paid accurately and on time.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of three to deliver a high-quality payroll and benefits service.
Act as the subject matter expert for payroll, pensions, benefits, and reward-related queries.
Ensure employee records and payroll data are accurately maintained within payroll systems.
Manage the processing and reporting of variable payments including overtime, expenses, and allowances.
Support the administration and ongoing management of employee benefits.
Work closely with Aviva to support pension scheme management, including starters, leavers, updates, and ongoing scheme administration.
Respond to pension-related queries and provide support and guidance to employees.
Build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organisation to ensure payroll deadlines and submission dates are consistently met.
Identify opportunities to improve processes and drive efficiencies across payroll, pensions, and benefits activity.
Ensure excellent customer service standards are maintained and payroll and benefits queries are resolved effectively.
Maintain compliance with payroll, pension, and legislative requirements.
Support the annual company bonus cycle and annual wage review process.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Proven payroll management experience within a complex organisation.
Experience managing employee benefits administration.
Knowledge of pension scheme administration and pension query management.
Experience working with pension providers, ideally Aviva.
Strong leadership and people management skills.
Excellent Excel and data management skills.
Strong attention to detail and problem-solving capability.
The ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict deadlines.
A proactive approach with a continuous improvement mindset.
A CIPP qualification or equivalent experience.

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

payroll managementemployee benefits administrationpension scheme administrationdata managementExcelprocess improvementreporting of variable paymentscompliance with legislative requirementscustomer service standards

Soft Skills

leadershippeople managementattention to detailproblem-solvingability to manage multiple prioritiesmeeting strict deadlinesproactive approachcontinuous improvement mindset

Certifications

CIPP qualification