Purpose of Role Responsible for managing end-to-end payroll processing for employees across the UK, and the USA entities, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll delivery, including financial posting, month-end accounting support & analysis. Reports to: Group Finance Lead - Finance Operations (US, UK, Europe) Location: Darlington, United Kingdom Job Description

Administer end-to-end payroll cycles for UK, and USA including gross-to-net calculations, statutory deductions, benefits, and reporting.
Ensure payroll compliance with HMRC (UK), IRS/State Agencies (USA).
Manage onboarding payroll setup for new hires in consultation with HR including tax codes, pensions, social security setup and regional equivalencies.
Reconcile payroll outputs monthly including variance checks, internal audits, and correcting discrepancies.
Coordinate with third-party payroll vendors and ensure SLAs and data accuracy standards are met in all regions.
Maintain payroll calendar, deadlines, year-end processes (P60s, W2s, etc.) and regional submissions.
Prepare payroll KPIs and performance dashboards for management.
Ensure GDPR compliance and secure handling of sensitive payroll data.
Prepare payroll-related journal entries and accounting postings in the ERP system, incl. allocation across departments and cost centres
Coordinate with the Treasury/Finance team to execute salary payments and statutory remittances, and reconcile the bank transactions and resolve discrepancies
Assist with management reporting and cost analysis related to payroll expenses
Provide accounting support for employee expense claims and benefits accounting where required

Knowledge, Skill and Experience

Deep understanding of UK PAYE/NIC, pension auto-enrolment, statutory leave pay, HMRC processes.
Knowledge of US federal and state payroll law including FICA, FUTA, W-4, state-specific tax variations.
Proficiency with multi-country payroll systems (e.g. Sage) & ERP accounting systems (e.g. Microsoft Dynamics).
Advanced Excel capabilities including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and payroll reconciliation formulas.
Experience completing payroll audits and preparing documentation for internal/external auditors.
5+ years multi-country payroll experience.
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related field

Behaviors

High attention to detail and accuracy.
Strong understanding of multi-country payroll legislation.
Excellent problem-solving skills.
Ability to prioritise workload and meet payroll deadlines.
Strong communication skills and stakeholder management.
High integrity: Handles sensitive payroll information discreetly and professionally.
Ownership mindset: Takes responsibility for accuracy, deadlines, and continuous improvement.
Analytical thinking: Identifies anomalies, solves problems proactively, and suggests process improvements.
Collaborative: Works closely with HR, Finance, and external providers.

Please forward your CV to sally.adamson@uniquegroup.com

Senior Accountant – Payroll (UK & USA)

Over Unique Group

Senior Accountant – Payroll (UK &#038; USA)

Over Unique Group

Senior Accountant – Payroll (UK & USA)