HR & Payroll Lead

HR & Payroll Lead 12 Month FTC Nottingham City - Hybrid (3 days at home, 2 days in the office) Full Time Up to £45,000 DOE

We are recruiting for an experienced HR & Payroll Specialist to join a professional services organisation on a 12-month maternity cover contract. This is a varied role offering a great mix of HR and payroll responsibilities, with an approximate split of 60% HR and 40% payroll. You'll support employees across multiple locations, with involvement in benefits, payroll, recruitment, onboarding, HR systems, the full employee lifecycle and wider HR projects.

You'll be joining a genuinely lovely and supportive HR team, working closely together to ensure the smooth running of day-to-day HR operations. It's a great opportunity for someone who enjoys variety and wants a role where they can get involved across all areas of HR while still utilising their payroll expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead on payroll processes, ensuring accurate and timely submissions.

• Manage employee benefits, pensions and associated reporting.

• Act as a key point of contact for HR systems.

• Support recruitment, including adverts, shortlisting, interviews and agency management.

• Support onboarding, probation, absence management and employee exits.

• Conduct exit interviews and identify/report on trends.

• Maintain accurate HR records and contractual documentation.

• Support right-to-work checks, background checks and other compliance requirements.

• Assist with annual and mid-year performance review processes.

• Support international secondments and employee relocations.

• Work with the wider HR team on projects and continuous improvement of HR processes.

What We're Looking For

• Previous HR generalist experience with strong knowledge of payroll, pensions and employee benefits.

• Experience of UK payroll, with overseas payroll exposure highly beneficial.

• CIPD Level 3, 5 or 7 qualified/working towards, or equivalent experience

• Good understanding of HR administration and recruitment processes.

• Excellent organisation and attention to detail.

• Confident and professional communication skills.

• Ability to manage priorities and work effectively within a busy HR function.

• Strong Microsoft Office skills.

Benefits

• Up to £45,000 DOE

• Hybrid working - 3 days at home, 2 days in the office

• Birthday leave

• Salary sacrifice pension scheme

• Healthcare benefits

• One paid volunteering day per year

• Employee discounts

• Company away days

• Supportive and collaborative working environment

Please note: The successful candidate will initially be expected to spend more time in the office during their training and onboarding period.