Head - Payroll (UK & North America)

Why we're hiring:

As a SSC NA/UK Payroll Head, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of payroll processing and compliance for your assigned populations’ payroll operations and liaising across WPP Shared Services to drive operational excellence. You will work closely with the HR, Finance, Legal, and SSC teams, as well as external vendors, to ensure your teams’ delivery of accurate and timely payroll while adhering to all statutory requirements. Your expertise and leadership will be crucial in maintaining employee satisfaction, mitigating compliance risks, and contributing to the overall health of the organization.

What you'll be doing:

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage payroll processing, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and accuracy of payments
• Review and approve payroll runs before sign‑off
• Manage relationships with external payroll vendors and ensure service level agreements are met
• Act as an escalation point for leadership or executive inquiries about payroll related reporting or compliance
• Drive standard work instructions and SOP adherence
• Ensure team compliance with financial regulations, tax laws, and internal governance standards
• Develop and maintain strong internal controls and financial policies to safeguard assets and ensure regulatory compliance
• Assist the Financial Controller with external audits and liaise with auditors, tax advisors, and regulatory authorities as required
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance payroll efficiency and accuracy
• Lead and manage the finance payroll team, ensuring optimal performance across all functions
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and career development opportunities for team members
• Coordinate with WPP Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis related to payroll expenses
• Work closely with the India SSC leadership to align SSC objectives with WPP strategy

KPIs

• First‑time‑right payroll (%)
• Escalation volume and ageing
• Team SLA adherence (%)
• Audit issues / control breaches
• Productivity per analyst (payrolls per FTE)

Skills and competencies

• Excell