Payroll and Benefits Manager

Job Description About usUpstream Risk Management is a security and risk management consultancy which provides a range of business-to-business services, including risk assessment, strategic security design, operational facilitation, security training, and provision of long term and interim embedded professionals.Our team is characterised by an entrepreneurial spirit and an ownership mentality. In eight years, we have built an international business, opening offices in USA, South Africa, India, Dubai, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Luxembourg, Israel, and Czechia. We have enjoyed profitable growth year on year, and our success has been based on delivering exceptional service to our customers. We are looking for a dynamic and entrepreneurial colleague to join the HQ team in Berkhamsted and help take the business through the next stage of growth. In this high impact role you would work right at the core of the organisation, collaborating with teams from all departments to deliver this mission critical scope of work. In return for your energy and enthusiasm, you can expect a positive, flexible working environment and a strong commitment to work-life balance. Job SummaryWith over 100 employees embedded in consultancy roles with our customers, payroll operations and benefits form a critical link in our service offering and business operations. Accurate and on time payment of salaries, and diligent management of benefits are non-negotiable elements of our support to our people, and the data outputs form the basis for customer billing. This is a new, specialist role led by customer demand and the growth of the business. We are looking for someone to own the end-to-end payroll operations and discretionary benefits administration across multiple countries by managing inputs, coordinating third-party payroll and benefits providers, validating outputs, and ensuring all payroll and benefit-related liabilities are correctly processed and handed over to Finance and Billing.This role does not calculate payroll, but is accountable for payroll and benefits accuracy, timeliness, and vendor coordination.Success in this role will be based on three key areas:Accurate, on time payment to staff and production of summary reports for billing teamSupport to the business process to forecast and report cost of salesSource and administrate employer of choice benefits packagesResponsibilitiesPayroll operations coordination:Payroll input managementThird-party payroll provider coordinationPayroll output validation & controlPayroll & benefits financial hand-offsEmployee liaisonDiscretionary Benefits & Allowances ManagementVendor & supplier managementProcurementEmployee liaisonPayroll & compliance integrationThe Ideal CandidateSkills and KnowledgeStrong knowledge of payroll concepts and processes (full knowledge of country-level payroll not required), preferably supported by a payroll or tax qualificationExcellent stakeholder management skillsStrong written and verbal communicationBehavioursHighest level of integrity and ethicsA people-centred approachWillingness to take ownership of problemsCurious and comfortable working in ambiguity, for example, learning and developingprocesses to set up in a new countryFlexibility to working with partners across time zonesExperienceRunning a payroll, or coordinating payroll operations, preferably internationallyCoordinating with third parties across culturesNeeds analysis, researching and selecting new vendors/productsPackagec. 50k salary, bonus available, private health insurance, life and income protection insurance, 25 days annual leave plus your birthday off, IT package with options to suit you, flexible working.Applicants must have automatic right to live and work in the UK. Candidates will be asked to complete a pre-interview task. Start date available from March.

Created: 2026-03-12