Payroll Manager

AVK is a leading player in the data centre sector, committed to driving innovation and sustainability in critical and prime power installations. We are on a mission to transform the industry, aligning our strategies with a sustainable future.The Payroll Manager role is a hands-on role delivering payroll across a growing European footprint. AVK has recently implemented a new payroll system (ADP) and now operates five European payrolls within a fast-moving, multi-entity business. Working with the People Operations Manager, you’ll lead on the end-to-end payroll operation to ensure payroll runs smoothly and is processed accurately, while embedding new ways of working, stabilising systems and shaping our operation to be resilient and ready to scale. As part of this and as the organisation continues to grow and operate internationally, you’ll manage shadow payrolls and lead on payroll readiness for new operational sites, ensuring systems, data and processes are set up correctly from day one. You will also support the administration of employee benefits ensuring timely registration and de-registration of employees through established processes. Key Responsibilities:Payroll delivery & stabilisation Deliver accurate and timely payroll across the UK and all European payrolls, carrying out pre- and post-payroll checks, reconciliations and variance analysis. Own payroll calendars, cut-offs and inputs to ensure smooth month-end delivery. Work closely with external providers, support the bedding-in, optimisation and account management of ADP, including internal audits, validation and issue resolution. Manage pension schemes, including change processes, reporting, reenrolment and compliance duties.Support accurate reconciliation of payroll liabilities and manage interactions with HMRC as required to resolve queries efficiently. Lead the preparation and submission of year-end processes including P60s, P11Ds and PSA reporting as applicable. Stakeholder support Act as a trusted partner for payroll queries from colleagues, managers and People Partners, managing our Payroll inbox and consistently responding to all email within 24 hours. Work closely with Finance on reconciliations, reporting and cost accuracy. Build strong partnerships with payroll providers, leading retros and addressing or escalating issues as needed. Compliance & controls Ensure payroll processing complies with local statutory, tax and reporting requirements across jurisdictions. Ownership of PAYE compliance, including timely payments of income tax and National Insurance, and staying up-to-date with legislative changes. Support internal and external audits, maintaining clear documentation and controls. Lead on change projects ensuring a smooth transition (payrolled benefits in 2027 is one example you’ll drive at AVK). Growth & change Support payroll setup and readiness for new sites and entities, including data mapping, processes and provider coordination. Help shape payroll processes that can scale as our European operations expand. Work closely with People and Finance on payroll implications of growth, change and new locations. RequirementsYou have the experience of running payroll for 300+ employees (with the complexities of variable pay, benefits administration, and shadow payroll). Experience of managing European payrolls is a must for this role – with the trajectory we’re on, that knowledge and experience is essential to maturing and scaling our payroll operations. You work well with ambiguity and adapt quickly to changing priorities and ways of working. You bring a calm, pragmatic approach to problem-solving whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail. Your Excel skills make reporting and payroll checks easy, quick and accurate. Working closely with the wider People team, Finance and external payroll providers, you get that payroll is a team sport and calls for nurturing strong working relationships, clear communication, and effective collaboration. Your service mindset shines through in your approach to investigating and responding to employee queries on pension, tax or payroll-related issues. You naturally bring structure, a meticulous attention to detail and calm ownership to the payroll cycle, building the trust that is paramount with pay. BenefitsUp to £60,000 base salaryCompetitive benefits package Open to part time Hybrid working, open to different office/home splitsOngoing training and career development Supportive, collaborative team environment Health Care Bonus Scheme

AVK is a leading player in the data centre sector, committed to driving innovation and sustainability in critical and prime power installations. We are on a mission to transform the industry, aligning our strategies with a sustainable future.

The Payroll Manager role is a hands-on role delivering payroll across a growing European footprint. AVK has recently implemented a new payroll system (ADP) and now operates five European payrolls within a fast-moving, multi-entity business.

Working with the People Operations Manager, you’ll lead on the end-to-end payroll operation to ensure payroll runs smoothly and is processed accurately, while embedding new ways of working, stabilising systems and shaping our operation to be resilient and ready to scale.

As part of this and as the organisation continues to grow and operate internationally, you’ll manage shadow payrolls and lead on payroll readiness for new operational sites, ensuring systems, data and processes are set up correctly from day one.

You will also support the administration of employee benefits ensuring timely registration and de-registration of employees through established processes.

Key Responsibilities:

Payroll delivery & stabilisation

• Deliver accurate and timely payroll across the UK and all European payrolls, carrying out pre- and post-payroll checks, reconciliations and variance analysis.

• Own payroll calendars, cut-offs and inputs to ensure smooth month-end delivery.

• Work closely with external providers, support the bedding-in, optimisation and account management of ADP, including internal audits, validation and issue resolution.

• Manage pension schemes, including change processes, reporting, reenrolment and compliance duties.
• Support accurate reconciliation of payroll liabilities and manage interactions with HMRC as required to resolve queries efficiently.
• Lead the preparation and submission of year-end processes including P60s, P11Ds and PSA reporting as applicable.

Stakeholder support

• Act as a trusted partner for payroll queries from colleagues, managers and People Partners, managing our Payroll inbox and consistently responding to all email within 24 hours.

• Work closely with Finance on reconciliations, reporting and cost accuracy.

• Build strong partnerships with payroll providers, leading retros and addressing or escalating issues as needed.

Compliance & controls

• Ensure payroll processing complies with local statutory, tax and reporting requirements across jurisdictions.
• Ownership of PAYE compliance, including timely payments of income tax and National Insurance, and staying up-to-date with legislative changes.

• Support internal and external audits, maintaining clear documentation and controls.

• Lead on change projects ensuring a smooth transition (payrolled benefits in 2027 is one example you’ll drive at AVK).

Growth & change

• Support payroll setup and readiness for new sites and entities, including data mapping, processes and provider coordination.

• Help shape payroll processes that can scale as our European operations expand.

• Work closely with People and Finance on payroll implications of growth, change and new locations.

Requirements

• You have the experience of running payroll for 300+ employees (with the complexities of variable pay, benefits administration, and shadow payroll).
• Experience of managing European payrolls is a must for this role – with the trajectory we’re on, that knowledge and experience is essential to maturing and scaling our payroll operations.
• You work well with ambiguity and adapt quickly to changing priorities and ways of working.
• You bring a calm, pragmatic approach to problem-solving whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Your Excel skills make reporting and payroll checks easy, quick and accurate.
• Working closely with the wider People team, Finance and external payroll providers, you get that payroll is a team sport and calls for nurturing strong working relationships, clear communication, and effective collaboration.
• Your service mindset shines through in your approach to investigating and responding to employee queries on pension, tax or payroll-related issues.
• You naturally bring structure, a meticulous attention to detail and calm ownership to the payroll cycle, building the trust that is paramount with pay.

Benefits

• Up to £60,000 base salary
• Competitive benefits package
• Open to part time
• Hybrid working, open to different office/home splits
• Ongoing training and career development
• Supportive, collaborative team environment
• Health Care
• Bonus Scheme

For over 30 years AVK have been providing Generator & UPS solutions for mission critical services and systems.No matter the scale or how challenging. We can design any system containing UPS systems, standby generators, switch gear & control systems around your requirements, in the present and for the future.We have offices and service hubs across the UK and Europe with a unique ability to design, manufacture, install and service standby power systems. AVK-SEG was founded in 1989 and were initially the UK specialists for both the AVK and SEG product ranges including protection relays for grid applications. We quickly established a reputation as experts in Diesel Rotary UPS systems (DRUPS), which became our core business for a number of years. We recognised early the shift in the marketplace towards Static power protection systems, and set up an exclusive partnership agreement with one of Europe’s largest manufacturers to supply and maintain large numbers of their equipment in the UK, which enabled us to build on our reputation but also increase our brand recognition.More and more of the large-scale projects we were involved in required Diesel Generator sets in addition to the UPS we offered, and as the trust in our team and experience continued to grow, we were approached by a number of clients to take on further responsibilities for their critical power systems. To meet these demands for a ‘one stop shop’ we expanded our offering to include other products that complete a power protection package – Generators, UPS, Switchgear, Relays and Controls. A number of global manufacturers were keen to work with us, and with their support, we were able to diversify our offering and open up a range of business opportunities. Initial success delivering LV projects for Telecoms quickly grew into massive successes delivering large scale HV multi-module projects for Data Centres and various campus sites, enabling us to become the UK’s leader in critical power solutions.Our clients rely on us to deliver best-in-class solutions to complex power challenges – driving us to constantly grow and develop both our product and service offerings to meet their needs. To that end, with an increasing drive towards sustainability, recent years have seen us partner with other industry leaders to grow our expertise in sustainable power solutions such as gas generators and battery storage systems – both of which help our clients to not only save money but increase their revenue streams.Over thirty years down the line, AVK are one of the most trusted power solutions providers across the UK and Europe, but we haven’t lost track of our beginnings. Our unique ability to design, manufacture, install and service standby power systems across a number of sectors sees us at the forefront of the industry – a position we strive to maintain – with the same determination to deliver for our clients and the same drive to succeed.

For over 30 years AVK have been providing Generator & UPS solutions for mission critical services and systems.

No matter the scale or how challenging. We can design any system containing UPS systems, standby generators, switch gear & control systems around your requirements, in the present and for the future.

We have offices and service hubs across the UK and Europe with a unique ability to design, manufacture, install and service standby power systems. AVK-SEG was founded in 1989 and were initially the UK specialists for both the AVK and SEG product ranges including protection relays for grid applications. We quickly established a reputation as experts in Diesel Rotary UPS systems (DRUPS), which became our core business for a number of years. We recognised early the shift in the marketplace towards Static power protection systems, and set up an exclusive partnership agreement with one of Europe’s largest manufacturers to supply and maintain large numbers of their equipment in the UK, which enabled us to build on our reputation but also increase our brand recognition.

More and more of the large-scale projects we were involved in required Diesel Generator sets in addition to the UPS we offered, and as the trust in our team and experience continued to grow, we were approached by a number of clients to take on further responsibilities for their critical power systems. To meet these demands for a ‘one stop shop’ we expanded our offering to include other products that complete a power protection package – Generators, UPS, Switchgear, Relays and Controls. A number of global manufacturers were keen to work with us, and with their support, we were able to diversify our offering and open up a range of business opportunities. Initial success delivering LV projects for Telecoms quickly grew into massive successes delivering large scale HV multi-module projects for Data Centres and various campus sites, enabling us to become the UK’s leader in critical power solutions.

Our clients rely on us to deliver best-in-class solutions to complex power challenges – driving us to constantly grow and develop both our product and service offerings to meet their needs. To that end, with an increasing drive towards sustainability, recent years have seen us partner with other industry leaders to grow our expertise in sustainable power solutions such as gas generators and battery storage systems – both of which help our clients to not only save money but increase their revenue streams.

Over thirty years down the line, AVK are one of the most trusted power solutions providers across the UK and Europe, but we haven’t lost track of our beginnings. Our unique ability to design, manufacture, install and service standby power systems across a number of sectors sees us at the forefront of the industry – a position we strive to maintain – with the same determination to deliver for our clients and the same drive to succeed.