Payroll Specialist - Remote Opportunity at Optiver

About the Role

Optiver is looking for a Payroll Specialist to join the Human Resources team in our London office on a fixed-term 12-month contract. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll professional with strong knowledge of UK statutory benefits and leave administration who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. As a Payroll Specialist remote, you will take full ownership of UK payroll while supporting benefits and statutory compliance activities that are critical to the employee experience.

What You'll Do

• Full ownership of the monthly UK payroll process, including preparation, validation, submission, and post payroll reconciliation.
• Act as the primary point of contact for payroll matters, coordinating with external vendors and internal stakeholders across HR, Finance, and Tax.
• Ensure payroll compliance with UK tax, statutory, and employment requirements, including social security compliance for UK payroll.
• Partner with overseas and in-country HR, Finance, and Tax teams to manage UK payroll obligations for internationally mobile employees.
• Manage payroll inputs and data accuracy within Workday and connected payroll systems.
• Support payroll audits and respond to internal and external audit requests.
• Support benefits initiatives, including annual renewals and employee communications.
• Monitor UK statutory leave and pay legislation to ensure ongoing compliance, proactively identifying regulatory changes and assessing organizational impact.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources or Administration, or equivalent experience.
• Strong working knowledge of UK payroll, statutory benefits administration, and associated UK employment law.
• Experience with systems such as Workday, ADP Celergo, and Greenhouse.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with a collaborative, service-oriented approach.

Nice to Have

• CIPP qualification preferred.
• Experience collaborating with colleagues in complex business models across multiple countries and jurisdictions.
• Working knowledge of international mobility tax implications and payrolling benefits.

What We Offer

• A performance-based bonus structure, enabling all of our employees to benefit from our global profit pool.
• 27 paid vacation days plus all UK public holidays.
• Daily breakfast and lunch, along with support on commuting expenses.
• Private medical insurance, pension scheme, and ClassPass fitness membership.
• Training and continuous learning opportunities, including access to conferences and tech events.