Lead Operations Specialist - Payroll

Competitive salary plus benefits.

The Payroll Lead Operations Specialist plays a critical role in overseeing the delivery of end-to-end payroll services, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and exceptional service across all payroll activities. Reporting to the Payroll Operations and Process Manager, the role acts as the Payroll Subject Matter Expert (SME) and leads a team of Payroll Specialists to deliver timely and compliant pay to colleagues across multiple business entities. 

The role requires strong payroll technical knowledge, excellent operational leadership, and a focus on continuous improvement. The Payroll Lead Operations Specialist collaborates closely with the Managed Service Third-Party Payroll provider, Finance, Pensions, HR teams, and other key stakeholders to ensure payroll processes run smoothly, remain compliant with legislation, and are continuously optimised in line with business priorities.

Service Delivery & Process Excellence 

• Oversee day-to-day Managed Service payroll processing
• Ensure full compliance with statutory requirements including Income Tax, National Insurance, SSP, SMP, SPP, SAP, Benefits in Kind, and Attachment of Earnings Orders. 
• Lead and coach Payroll Specialists to deliver consistent, high-quality payroll outputs. 
• Support the Operations Manager in implementing the payroll service delivery framework and operational plan. 

Continuous Improvement & Change Enablement 

• Partner with the Operations Manager and Process Owners to identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives. 
• Gather and analyse data to assess process effectiveness and highlight trends or areas for intervention. 
• Support the design and testing of process enhancements, ensuring smooth adoption by the operational teams. 

Performance Monitoring & Quality Assurance 

• Monitor daily service delivery performance using operational dashboards, KPIs, and SLA reports. 
• Conduct regular quality checks and provide feedback to ensure adherence to standards and accuracy in execution. 
• Identify and escalate significant deviations, service risks, or recurring issues to the Lead Operations Manager. 
• Prepare and contribute to regular service reviews, performance updates, and improvement reports. 

Stakeholder & Customer Engagement 

• Build and maintain positive working relationships with key stakeholders
• Act as a trusted SME and operational point of contact for their process area, providing expert advice and insights. 
• Gather feedback from customers and stakeholders to identify opportunities to enhance the colleague experience. 
• Ensure communication channels are clear, consistent, and proactive across teams. 

People Leadership & Team Development 

• Lead a team of Operations Specialists, ensuring clarity of objectives, performance standards, and accountability. 
• Coach and mentor team members to build capability, confidence, and process knowledge. 
• Contribute to workforce planning and scheduling to balance workload and ensure service continuity. 
• Support a positive, inclusive, and performance-driven team culture that reflects ASDA’s values and service ethos. 

Skills & Experience 

• Strong understanding of operations and service delivery models within large, complex organisations. 
• Proven experience leading a payroll or operational teams
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to deliver continuous improvement initiatives and adopt new ways of working. 
• CIPP Foundation Degree in Payroll Management, or equivalent qualification/experience is desirable. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of payroll legislation including Income Tax, National Insurance, statutory payments, Salary Sacrifice, and Benefits in Kind  
• Proven expertise in end-to-end payroll processing including month-end and year-end activities is desirable 
• Proven experience working with a third-party Managed Service payroll provider 
• Experience managing complex, high-volume payroll operations with a strong focus on compliance and accuracy. 
• Understanding of payroll operations in a diverse, multi-entity organisation. 
• Ability to deliver accurate, clear, and timely pay-related advice and management information. 
• Knowledge of company pension schemes and the interfaces between payroll, finance, and pension teams. 

Everything you'll love

To ensure we balance moments where we know we need to collaborate together and the need for flexibility, Asda has a hybrid way of working with a minimum 3 days a week in one of our Home Offices. Over and above this, each area of Asda may have additional requirements which may require spending more days in the office, visiting suppliers, stores or depots.

You will also get an excellent benefits package including:

• Discretionary company bonus

• Company pension up to 7% matched

• 15% colleague discount in store and online

• Free access to wellbeing services such as Stream, 24/7 virtual GP, counselling, health and dental cash plans and a 24/7 employee assistance helpline, alongside discounts across a range of services and activities, from airport parking, enhanced to theme parks and cinemas.

• Asda Allies Inclusion Networks – helping colleagues to make sure everybody is included and that our differences are recognised and celebrated

• Excellent parental leave policies, including maternity & adoption leave, paternity leave, shared parental leave, neonatal care leave, and support for those doing fertility treatments.

We want all colleagues to be able to bring their best and true selves to work, every day. Simply put, we want our colleagues to be Proud to be Asda and proud to be themselves