UK Payroll Senior

GCO Partners | South Africa | Part-time, 20 hours per week

The opportunity

Build on your UK payroll expertise while working as an embedded member of an established UK accountancy practice.

GCO Partners is looking for an experienced UK Payroll Senior to manage a portfolio of client payrolls on a part-time basis. You will take ownership of accurate, compliant and timely payroll delivery while building trusted relationships with UK clients.

This is not a payroll data-capturing role. You will be expected to understand the full UK payroll cycle, identify issues before they affect deadlines and confidently manage payrolls with limited supervision.

The role is initially structured for 20 hours per week and would suit an experienced UK payroll professional looking for meaningful part-time work without stepping away from technical ownership or client responsibility.

What you will be responsible for

You will manage payroll delivery for a portfolio of UK clients, including:

• Processing weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly and monthly payrolls.
• Calculating gross-to-net pay, PAYE, National Insurance and pension deductions.
• Processing new starters, leavers, employee changes, bonuses and other variable payments.
• Calculating statutory payments, including Statutory Sick Pay and statutory family leave payments.
• Preparing and submitting Full Payment Submissions and Employer Payment Summaries through Real Time Information.
• Managing workplace pension auto-enrolment processes, including postponements, opt-ins, opt-outs and contribution uploads.
• Producing payslips, payroll reports, payment summaries and payroll journals.
• Supporting payroll year-end activities, including P60 preparation and tax-year transitions.
• Responding directly to payroll queries from clients and employees.
• Following up on missing or inconsistent information before payroll deadlines.
• Maintaining accurate payroll records and protecting sensitive employee information.
• Reviewing your own work carefully and resolving discrepancies before submission.
• Managing multiple client deadlines without compromising quality or service.

What we are looking for

You should have:

• At least three years of recent UK payroll experience.
• Experience managing multiple UK client payrolls independently.
• Recent experience within an accountancy practice, payroll bureau or outsourced payroll environment.
• Strong working knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance and Real Time Information submissions.
• Practical experience with UK statutory payments.
• Hands-on experience with workplace pensions and auto-enrolment requirements.
• Experience managing payrolls with different frequencies and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and a disciplined checking process.
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication.
• The confidence to communicate directly with UK clients and resolve payroll queries.
• The ability to organise your workload and work independently within a part-time schedule.

Systems experience

Experience with one or more UK payroll platforms is required, such as:

• Sage 50 Payroll
• BrightPay
• IRIS Payroll
• Xero Payroll

Experience using Microsoft Excel for payroll checks, reconciliations and reporting will also be important.

Advantageous

The following would strengthen your application:

• A IPM (Institute of People Management) Payroll & Tax Practitioner qualification or current studies.
• Experience supporting payroll year-end and pension re-enrolment processes.
• Experience with Construction Industry Scheme payrolls.
• Previous experience supporting UK owner-managed businesses or SME clients.

This role may suit you if

You are an experienced payroll professional who enjoys taking ownership of your work. You understand that good payroll delivery is not only about processing numbers. It is about accuracy, trust, confidentiality and ensuring that clients and employees receive the right outcome at the right time.

You are comfortable working independently, but you also value being part of a collaborative international team. You communicate clearly, raise concerns early and take pride in delivering consistently high-quality work.

Why join GCO Partners?

GCO Partners connects high-performing professionals from Africa with meaningful international work.

As a GCO professional, you will have the opportunity to:

• Apply your UK payroll expertise in a global practice environment.
• Work directly with an established UK accountancy team.
• Build long-term international experience without relocating.
• Join a people-first organisation that values quality, accountability and professional growth.
• Remain connected to the wider GCO community while working as an embedded member of the client team.

At GCO, our work is guided by three passions: People, Performance and Progress. We invest in strong relationships, hold ourselves to high standards and continuously look for better ways to work.

Role details

• Contract: Part-time
• Hours: 20 hours per week
• Location: South Africa
• Working hours: The successful candidate must be available during agreed UK business hours and around key payroll deadlines.
• Anticipated start date: Mid to late September 2026

How to apply

Submit your CV and include details of:

• The UK payroll systems you have used.
• The number and types of client payrolls you have managed.
• The payroll frequencies you have processed.
• Your experience with RTI submissions, statutory payments and workplace pensions.

Applications that do not demonstrate recent, hands-on UK payroll experience are unlikely to be progressed.