Georgina Pickles
Drighlington
Summary
Results-driven Head of Payroll with leadership excellence, including streamlining processes and enhancing team productivity. Successfully led payroll operations, ensuring timely and accurate payroll for large organisations. Recognised for improving payroll systems, reducing errors, and fostering collaborative work environment. extensive expertise in payroll software and pension schemes management. Demonstrates proficiency in year-end procedures, payroll audits, and auto-enrolment regulations. Adept at handling discretion, budgeting control, and benefit packages administration using Wagestream. Skilled in Sage-based platforms, time and attendance systems (TNA), and PAYE/NIC procedures. Excels in wage calculation, statutory payment calculation, decision-making, change management, and financial reporting. Committed to driving organisational success through meticulous payroll management and strategic financial oversight.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work history
Group Head of Payroll
Professional Security
Leeds, LS10
03.2018 - 05.2025
- Responsible for 2 direct reports plus 5 indirect reports (Including the Billing Team).
- Maintained strong relationships with external suppliers such as outsourced payroll providers delivering smooth service transitions.
- Conducted regular audits for assurance of payroll accuracy and integrity.
- Overseeing a weekly payroll of over 3000+ employees.
- Attending and contributing to weekly Head of Department meetings as part of the SLT.
- Authorising and signing off payroll for the Business.
- Restructuring, improving, and initiating new processes within the department to improve efficiency and effectiveness whilst maintaining customer service to stakeholders.
- Carry out direct report appraisals, monthly one to ones, KPI's, mentoring and performance reviews.
- Auditing and sense checking payroll data, application of route cause analysis methods.
- Producing Payroll Management information packs for Directors, including foreseeable risks to the business.
- Oversee, support and mentor senior team members with internal personal performance management, and all company employment policies.
- Overall monitoring of GP within the payroll and billing departments.
- Monitoring and evaluating targets are met within the timelines.
- Manage compliance with HMRC and implement any legislative changes.
- Sign off End of Year including all PAYE distribution.
- Financial sign off BACS for 4 companies.
- Support and drive new processes for all external operational teams to ensure processes and audit reviews for the business are complied with.
- Member of the businesses Project Group – focusing on preparing strategies to assist with business growth and values.
- Create and provide monthly wage reconciliations for the Finance Department.
- One of the project leads in the implementation of a new business platform and sole lead of a new payroll system.
- Sole lead of new company acquisitions, integrations which includes building a shared services platform.
- Member of Charity and Apprentice Panel.
- Oversee all Head Office Payroll and P11d's.
- Implemented new time-tracking system to improve accuracy of hours worked calculations.
- Streamlined payroll processes by implementing efficient software solutions.
- Utilised advanced Excel skills to create up-to-date reports.
- Created succession plans and promotion paths for staff.
- Recruited, hired and trained new employees to optimise profitability.
Payroll/Auto Enrolment Manager
Urquhart Warner Myers Accountants
Leeds, LS12
06.2006 - 03.2018
- Managing a team of 3 employees.
- Dealing with 250 clients on a day-to-day basis.
- Meeting and entertaining payroll clients.
- Training clients to do their own payroll on Sage 50 Payroll.
- Processing Monthly, Weekly and Biweekly payrolls.
- Setting up PAYE schemes.
- Dealing with all payroll related queries from clients regarding SSP, SMP, SPP.
- Controlling all year end procedures with P60 distribution.
- Regularly dealing with telephone queries from HMRC and The Pension Regulator efficiently and quickly.
- Ability to work and take responsibility for projects alone.
- Daily use of Sage Payroll, MS Word and MS Excel, Outlook, Payroll Manager, Nest, Smart Pension, Peoples Pension, and IRIS to a high level.
- Training and managing staff to do payroll and helping them become part of a bureau.
- Highly trained to deal with all aspects of Auto Enrolment.
- Dealing with all CIS related queries, returns and refunds.
- Setting up Contractor and subcontractor's schemes.
- Company Formations.
- Share Transfers.
- Appointing Directors, Resigning Directors, Striking Companies off and Confirmation Statements.
- P11d's, P45's and New Starters.
Senior Payroll Officer
Naylor Wintersgill Chartered Accountants
Bradford, BD1
08.2003 - 06.2006
- Sales and purchase invoicing using Sage Line 50.
- Meeting and entertaining payroll clients.
- Payroll – dealing with 150 clients on a day-to-day basis – Sage Software.
- Daily banking.
- Regularly dealing with payroll queries efficiently and quickly.
- Contributing to a teamwork environment.
- Ability to work and take responsibility for projects alone.
- Full control of debtors – credit control for seven partners.
- Daily use of SAGE, MS Word and MS Excel.
- Typing speed of 70 wpm.
- Training and managing staff to do payroll and helping them become part of a bureau.
- Overseeing delivery dates and chasing late stock arrivals.
- Purchasing of office equipment ranging from PCs to stationary.
- Running of the payroll.
Education
CIPP - Degree in Payroll Management
Heart of Worcestershire College
Skills
- Payroll software mastery
- Leadership excellence
- Pension schemes management
- Year-End procedures competency
- Payroll audits capability
- Auto-Enrolment regulations understanding
- Discretion handling
- Budgeting control
- Benefit packages administration - Wagestream
- Sage based platforms knowledge
- Time and attendance systems (TNA)
- Excellent organisation
- Expert in PAYE and NIC procedures
- Wage calculation expertise
- System implementation
- Decision-Making proficiency
- Change management experience
- Financial reporting
Software
- MS Word
- Sage 50 Payroll
- MS Excel
- In-file scanning
- Time & Attendance Systems
- Payroll Manager Software
- Xero Payroll
- Bespoke Payroll system Tempaid
- Powerpoint
- Wagestream
Timeline
Group Head of Payroll
Professional Security
03.2018 - 05.2025
Payroll/Auto Enrolment Manager
Urquhart Warner Myers Accountants
06.2006 - 03.2018
Senior Payroll Officer
Naylor Wintersgill Chartered Accountants
08.2003 - 06.2006
CIPP - Degree in Payroll Management
Heart of Worcestershire College
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