Building a Brand Starts with a Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. For 30 years, we have utilised three flexible delivery models: Embedded teams, Corporate Campus operations, and a Full-Service Agency.

Managing over 37,000 events & projects annually across 110 countries, FIRST serves 130+ brands, specialising in Fortune 500 companies within the Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Media, and Professional Services sectors. FIRST is part of the broader Encore family of companies. Encore is a global leader in event production and technology.

Consistently recognised for excellence, recent honours include 2026 Chief Marketer Agency of the Year, the Ad Net Zero Award for sustainability, and more.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

Please note that this role is a 9-month fixed-term contract.

What You Would Get To Do

The Payroll Manager is responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of end-to-end payroll across multiple international jurisdictions. This role partners closely with People Operations, Benefits, Finance, Tax, and external vendors to ensure a seamless employee experience.

Beyond day-to-day operations, the Payroll Manager will own the relationships with external payroll providers and Employer of Record (EOR) partners, maintain robust internal controls, and standardise global workflows. As the organisation expands internationally, this role will drive continuous process improvements, leverage data reporting for business insights, and spearhead the successful implementation of payroll operations in new countries.

Your Contributions

Payroll Operations & Vendor Management 

• Manage end-to-end payroll operations for employees across various countries in the assigned regions.
• Act as the primary point of contact for external payroll providers and in-country payroll partners.
• Liaise with Employer of Record (EOR) partners regarding employee pay changes and compensation adjustments.
• Review and validate payroll inputs and outputs, ensuring data changes, compensation updates, bonuses, and terminations are processed accurately within agreed timelines.
• Monitor vendor performance, ensuring adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs), high accuracy, and timely issue resolution.
• When applicable, support onboarding of new countries or payroll providers.

Stakeholder Partnership

• Partner closely with People Operations to ensure accurate, timely processing of employee lifecycle events that impact payroll.
• Act as the first point of contact for employees regarding payroll-related queries and issues, ensuring timely resolution and a positive employee experience.
• Collaborate with People Operations, Benefits, and other stakeholders to support the administration and payroll treatment of employee programmes, benefits, leave arrangements, and other employee-related processes as required.

Process Documentation & Continuous Improvement

• Develop, maintain, and regularly update payroll procedures, process documentation, standard operating procedures, and payroll calendars.
• Identify opportunities to streamline, standardise, automate, and improve payroll processes for the assigned regions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and employee experience.
• Participate in payroll system enhancements, integrations, and process improvement projects.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with local payroll, tax, social security, pension, and statutory regulations across all jurisdictions in the assigned regions.
• Collaborate with local payroll providers to monitor legislative and regulatory changes and implement payroll processes and controls.
• Maintain robust payroll controls, governance processes, and audit-ready documentation.
• Support internal and external audits and provide payroll, leaves and benefits-related reporting and documentation as required.
• Ensure payroll processes and employee data are managed in accordance with applicable data privacy and protection regulations, including GDPR and relevant local data protection requirements across all jurisdictions.

What We Are Looking For

• 5-7 years of relevant experience including managing payroll in the UK, EMEA and APAC regions
• Professional knowledge acquired through an undergraduate degree or certified qualifications related to payroll management.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office & G Suite
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills with proven ability to meet deadlines
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Strong focus on excellent customer service 
• Ability to think globally and acknowledge regional and cultural differences with due consideration to reach appropriate outcomes
• Ability to demonstrate influencing skills
• Application of sound judgment and professionalism

At FIRST, we believe that the passion, creativity, and commitment of our teams drive our success. That's why we offer a range of benefits and perks to support your personal and professional growth

• Private Medical Insurance with BUPA from day one
• 28 Days Annual Leave PLUS Bank Holidays
• Personal Volunteer Day
• 20 Days of Sick Pay each Year
• Enhanced Parental Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Wellness Stipend
• Complimentary access to Headspace, Rocket Lawyer & Maven
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Season Ticket Loan
• Mobile Phone Allowance
• Pension Scheme Enhancements
• Discretionary Bonus Structure
• Global Opportunities: With a presence in 7 countries worldwide, including headquarters in London, New York, and Singapore, you may have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across different locations.

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