Career Opportunities: Payroll & Benefits Administrator 12-Month Fixed-Term Contract (345)

Requisition ID 345 - Posted  - London - Human Resources

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Sumitomo Corporation Europe Limited (SCEU), as part of Sumitomo Corporation, is one of the world’s largest integrated trading groups. With a global presence and expertise in a wide variety of industries, we offer candidates a long-lasting role and continued career growth in a forward-thinking and innovative environment.

We recognise that success comes from our talented individuals, and so we foster an evolving environment to allow employees to meet ever-changing business needs. In return, we look for people who are innovative, able communicators, resourceful and committed to delivering the right outcome to achieve success.

We look forward to you joining SCEU, where you will build lasting relationships, develop your skillsets, and contribute to our 400-year history of success.

We are recruiting for a Payroll & Benefits Administrator to join our People Department on a fixed term basis. In this position you will provide accurate, timely and compliant administrative support across the full payroll and benefits lifecycle for SCEU and all other supported Sumitomo Entity. Working within the People Department, the Payroll & Benefits Administrator will support the Payroll & Benefits Specialist in delivering a seamless employee experience, ensuring all payroll inputs, benefits enrolments and related records are processed in line with UK employment law, HMRC requirements, FCA/PRA regulations and internal SCEU (or other relevant entity) policies. 

Your responsibilities will include:

Payroll Administration 

• Support the end-to-end monthly payroll cycle in partnership with our outsourced payroll provider (Moorepay), ensuring all inputs are submitted accurately and to deadline.

• Collate and validate payroll change data including new starters, leavers, salary changes, bonuses, overtime, allowances, and statutory payments (SSP, SMP, SPP, SAP).

• Maintain accurate employee payroll records within HR systems (SuccessFactors) and payroll platforms, ensuring data integrity at all times.

• Assist with year-end payroll processes including P60s, P11Ds, PSA submissions and tax year rollover.

• Respond to Tier 1 employee payroll queries via ServiceNow within agreed SLAs, escalating complex issues to the Payroll & Benefits Specialist.

• Support HMRC correspondence including tax code changes, student loan notices, court orders and attachment of earnings.

• Reconcile payroll reports and support monthly finance journals in partnership with the Accounts/Finance team.

• Processing payroll month end in the accounting system.

• Assisting with managing the process employer pension contributions – end to end, from ensuring calculations are correct through to uploading the payment to the pension provider platform.

Benefits Administration 

• Administer SCEU's (and supported entities) benefits programmes including pension (including salary sacrifice arrangements), private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, season ticket loans, cycle-to-work and flexible benefits.

• Process new joiner benefits enrolments, leaver removals and mid-year changes with benefits providers.

• Maintain benefits trackers and ensure all documentation is stored securely and GDPR-compliantly in BOX.

• Support the annual benefits renewal cycle, including data extracts, employee communications and enrolment windows.

• Act as first point of contact for employee benefits queries, providing clear and helpful guidance.

• Assisting with quarterly benefits and expense recharges by issuing invoices to SCEU Subsidiaries.

Compliance, Governance & Controls 

• Ensure all payroll and benefits activities comply with UK employment law, HMRC regulations, GDPR, FCA/PRA requirements and SCEU (and supported entities) internal policies.

• Maintain audit-ready records and support internal/external audits as required.

• Adhere to the SCEU (and supported entities) risk framework, flagging any control weaknesses or incidents to the Payroll & Benefits Specialist.

• Support business continuity and disaster recovery planning for payroll processes.

Employee Experience & Continuous Improvement 

• Deliver a professional, empathetic and responsive service to all employees, aligned to the SCEU People Department service catalogue.

• Contribute to process improvement initiatives, identifying opportunities to streamline, standardise and automate payroll and benefits administration.

• Support the maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and process maps.

• Participate in wider People Department projects as required.

To be considered for this opportunity, you will need:

Essential 

• Prior administrative experience within an HR, payroll, benefits or shared services function (internships/placements considered).

• Working knowledge of UK payroll principles, PAYE, NI and statutory payments.

• Strong numerical accuracy and attention to detail.

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables) and MS Office suite.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain payroll/benefits information clearly to non-specialists.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.

• Discreet and professional handling of confidential employee data, with a strong understanding of GDPR principles.

• Customer service mindset with a proactive, solutions-focused approach.

Desirable 

• Experience working in financial services or another regulated industry.

• Exposure to outsourced payroll providers (e.g. Moorepay, ADP, SD Worx).

• Familiarity with HR systems such as SuccessFactors and case management tools such as ServiceNow.

• Working towards or interested in pursuing CIPP (Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals) qualification.

• Understanding of salary sacrifice arrangements and flexible benefits schemes.

Behavioural Competencies 

• Integrity & Professionalism – handles sensitive data with discretion and acts with honesty.

• Collaboration – works effectively across the People Department and with external vendors.

• Ownership & Accountability – takes personal responsibility for accuracy and deadlines.

• Continuous Improvement – curious mindset, open to learning and challenging the status quo.

• Customer Focus – delivers a positive employee experience at every touchpoint.

• Collaborative and customer-focused – builds strong relationships and delivers great employee experience.

• Adaptable and resilient – comfortable working in a changing, build-phase environment.

• Trustworthy and compliant – handles sensitive data with integrity and strong risk awareness.

Please note, this job advert is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the business in line with the full job description which will be reviewed regularly.

We believe success is achieved not only through business, but also by the positive role we play in society. Corporate responsibility has always been an integral part of our Corporate Vision and we are committed to acting responsibly in how we do business to support sustainability. We will continue to give back to society as a good corporate citizen.

Depending on the role and contract, benefits include hybrid working (currently 3 days per week in office for full-time employees), Flexitime scheme, pension scheme, private health insurance, dental insurance, working away days and free leisure centre/gym membership. All our offices are in the prime spots of each city. The London office’s recent refurbishment received the Gold Level SKA Rating for its eco-friendly impact.

Our policy is to select and appoint the right person with the necessary skills and experience to enable the Company to fulfil its business aims and objectives. We provide equal opportunities for the advancement of employees, including promotion and training and ensure that no applicant is subject to less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, race, marital status, age, religious beliefs, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, or for being pregnant or on maternity leave.

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