Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Payroll and Benefits Specialist – 12-14 month fixed-term contract - £40,000 Join us and be part of a mission-driven, independent publisher. You’ll work with a diverse group of people who share a passion for empowering researchers, educators, and institutions to shape the future. About Sage: Sage is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, Sara Miller McCune founded Sage in 1965. Today, we are controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining our independence and mission indefinitely. Our guaranteed independence means we’re free to: Do more – supporting an equitable academic future, furthering disciplines that drive social change, and helping social and behavioural science make an impact Work together – building lasting relationships, championing diverse perspectives, and co-creating resources to transform teaching and learning Think long-term – experimenting, taking risks, and investing in new ideas About our Team: Join our small, collaborative Payroll & Benefits team, delivering end to end payroll and benefits services for around 700 employees across UK, Norway, Denmark, UAE, Germany, Egypt, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy and Poland. We sit within our People & Culture function while working closely with Finance, supporting multi entity operations and ensuring accurate, timely payroll delivery every month. Could you be our new Payroll and Benefits Specialist? Are you? Experienced in supporting end to end UK payroll with a strong track record of accuracy and compliance. Confident interpreting HMRC rules, statutory payments, and payroll legislation and able to apply changes to internal processes when required. Skilled in performing pay calculations and explaining technical payroll information clearly to a range of stakeholders. Advanced in Excel (VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, Pivot Tables) with strong overall IT literacy. Experienced in benefits and pension administration (including P11D and/or wider benefits processes) and able to ensure employees receive accurate entitlements. A positive, hardworking, customer focused individual who can prioritise effectively in a fast paced, deadline driven environment. Organised, detail driven, and able to maintain accurate records, manage sensitive data, and uphold high standards of compliance and audit readiness. Eager to learn, passionate about developing your payroll expertise, and committed to continuously improving your knowledge and skills. You don’t need international payroll experience - what matters is a strong foundation in payroll, strong attention to detail, and a willingness to learn. If you’re motivated to grow, calm under pressure, and thrive in a fast paced environment, this is an excellent opportunity to deepen your payroll expertise with the support of an experienced team. Your new role: Support the team in delivering 13 monthly payrolls accurately and on time by preparing complete, validated payroll inputs and resolving discrepancies before sign off. Maintain high quality, audit ready data by keeping HRIS and payroll systems (iTrent) fully up to date and ensuring employee lifecycle changes are processed correctly. Coordinate annual payroll and benefits cycles such as salary review, bonus and PUP payments, tax year end, P60s, P11Ds, and HMRC reporting. Produce accurate payroll reports for Finance, People and Culture, and external bodies analysing data to support decision making and respond to queries. Provide clear, reliable payroll and benefits guidance to employees, People Business Partners, Finance, and senior leaders, escalating complex issues appropriately. Ensure payroll documentation, employee files, and audit trails are complete, compliant and well organised. Support the delivery of benefits and pension related processes, ensuring employees receive accurate entitlements and statutory obligations are met. Identify opportunities to streamline payroll and benefits processes, adapt to system challenges, and collaborate with Finance and People & Culture to improve operational efficiency. Overview of benefits: 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with 2 additional floating personal days. Hybrid working up to 2 days per week in office and a home working allowance. Life assurance, income protection, and travel insurance. Private medical cover and access to the company doctor. Tuition scheme and support for pursuing professional qualifications, including access to Sage books and journals. Variety of snacks and beverages available in the office. Healthy lifestyle reimbursement and anniversary trips. Access to Company loans (season ticket loan, rental deposit loan, cycle loan). We’re a Disability Confident Employer (Level 1). If you’d like to apply under this scheme, please let us know in your application. We’re committed to making our recruitment process accessible and inclusive. If you’d like to request reasonable adjustments, please email humanresources@sagepub.co.uk . Please note we only accept applications via email if an adjustment has been agreed. Closing date for applications: Monday 30th March 2926 To ensure we can give each application the attention it deserves, we may consider bringing the closing date forward. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure it is considered. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion At Sage, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and to sustaining a culture that celebrates diversity, encourages authenticity, and builds a deep sense of belonging. We encourage applications from all members of society irrespective of age, disability, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, or belief as crafting value through diversity is what makes us strong.