Team Manager, Payroll

Job Title: Team Manager, Payroll
At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We also create incredible assessment clinical and professional tests to help people to growth in their personal and professional lives.

We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large, and small. What you’ll do
 
The Regional Payroll Leader – Europe will serve as the senior operational and strategic payroll leader for the region, helping modernize and stabilize operations while partnering closely with stakeholders to drive a scalable, resilient, and future-ready operating model.  This role will play a critical part in shaping and maturing that future-state operating model.
 
The position is designed for a leader who can navigate complexity, lead transformation, orchestrate multiple operational support layers, and help modernize operations within a highly matrixed global organization.
 
Pearson’s Global Payroll team has earned industry recognition for innovation and leadership, with team members featured on leading podcasts, and professional publications across the payroll and workforce technology space.

Key Responsibilities

 
Leadership
Coach team members through organizational and operational transformation 
Help establish future-state role expectations centered on expertise, governance, stakeholder partnership, operational orchestration, and continuous improvement
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, operational excellence, and modernization
Stakeholder Partnership & Governance
Support executive-level discussions involving payroll risk, controls, compliance, and operational performance 

Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the organization 

Operational Transformation & Modernization
Lead Europe transformation initiatives, including vendor transitions and operating model redesign 
Support the continued evolution of operations through optimization and standardization, governance enhancement, and vendor optimization 
Lead automation and AI-readiness strategies 
Help evolve the function to an expertise-led and strategically aligned operating structure
Risk, Compliance & Operational Resilience
Strengthen governance and operational controls across the region 
Reduce key-person dependency and operational fragility through scalable support models and documentation 
Improve operational resilience and continuity planning across supported markets 
Oversee audit readiness and support remediation activities where needed 
Ensure appropriate escalation management and operational transparency across all supported countries 
 
 
Success Metrics
 
Operational Delivery
Achieve sustained accuracy and on-time delivery across the region
Reduce manual workarounds year-over-year 
Reduce sustained overtime dependency 
Improve operational continuity through strengthened backup coverage and documentation maturity 
Transformation & Modernization
Increase process standardization and reduce fragmented/manual workflows across the region 
Improve operational readiness for automation and AI-enabled operations 
Successfully implement and mature the Europe hybrid operating model 
Governance & Risk
Improve audit readiness and controls maturity across the region
Reduce key-person dependency and operational fragility 
Strengthen transparency, governance, and escalation management across the region 
Achieve positive outcomes from internal audit, tax, and compliance reviews
Stakeholder & Organizational Impact
Increase stakeholder confidence and satisfaction across Finance, HR, Tax, and business leadership 
Improve visibility and communication regarding operational risks and priorities 
 
Candidate Profile
 
Experience
Significant experience leading complex multinational payroll operations in Europe
Demonstrable understanding of European payroll governance, compliance, and operational risk 
Strong UK employment tax awareness strongly preferred 
Experience operating within matrixed multinational organizations 
Experience leading transformation, vendor transitions, or operating model redesign initiatives preferred 
Experience working with outsourced vendors and hybrid delivery models preferred 
 
Skills & Capabilities
 
Strategic & Operational Leadership
Ability to operate effectively in highly nuanced and evolving operational environments 
Strong judgment and decision-making capability 
Comfortable balancing operational delivery with strategic transformation 
Stakeholder Management
Strong communication and influencing skills 
Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments diplomatically and effectively 
Change Leadership
Comfortable leading through ambiguity and organizational change 
Strong process improvement and operational redesign mindset 
Interest in modernization, automation, and AI-enabled operations 
Governance & Risk Management
Strong operational governance mindset 
Ability to identify and mitigate operational risks 
Experience supporting audit and compliance activities 
 
 
The region encompasses over 16 countries, inclusive of the U.K., Spain, Italy, Poland, and the DACH, Benelux and Nordic regions 
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