Associate - UK Payroll

About the role

Strada is a global people, payroll, and technology company that helps organizations manage international workforces through cloud-based solutions. The business operates across 180+ countries and focuses on building people-first services that support growth, performance, and meaningful outcomes. This position is based in Kochi, Kerala, India, and is part of a team working on UK payroll operations.

Payroll operations

• Handle pre-payroll tasks such as data entry, downloading tax codes, and checking them against the HMRC portal.
• Support first and final payroll cycles, including exception reporting, GL simulation, WT reports, pre-DME testing, live processing, cash breakdown reports, bank file preparation, BACS reconciliation, and BACS live processing.
• Prepare post-payroll outputs such as payslips, payroll journals, variance reports, pension reports, finance files, EPS, FPS, apprenticeship levy reports, GL live reports, third-party reports, and auto-enrolment reports.
• Investigate and resolve employee pay queries effectively.
• Carry out year-end work such as P9 uplift, GPG report preparation, P60s, P11Ds, and EYU processing.
• Submit P45 and P46 forms to HMRC as required.
• Calculate and process statutory payments including maternity, paternity, sick pay, shared parental pay, and adoption pay, while keeping clients updated regularly.
• Manually calculate statutory deductions such as student loan, attachments, PAYE, and National Insurance and process them through payroll.
• Complete year-end return filings and related submissions to HMRC.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure client employees are paid correctly and on schedule every month.
• Process cases within agreed turnaround times and accuracy standards.
• Maintain a consistently high level of accuracy in all payroll activities.
• Plan, prioritise, and complete daily work to meet service-level commitments.
• Enter data into payroll systems, validate information, and perform calculations.
• Process statutory documents and payroll-related submissions.
• Run payroll operations and respond to employee questions by email or phone.
• Prepare reports, complete reconciliations, and support payment processing.
• Test payroll system functionality and flag issues where necessary.
• Escalate risks and errors promptly in line with risk management procedures.
• Identify improvement opportunities that can improve team efficiency.
• Build productive relationships with clients and third-party providers.
• Support teammates, mentor less experienced colleagues, and assist senior team members where needed.
• Handle external customer requests, complaints, and queries in a professional and helpful manner.
• Actively look for opportunities to learn more about systems, clients, workflows, and procedures, and take ownership of ongoing development.

Requirements

• Strong communication skills for regular interaction with UK clients.
• At least 2 years of relevant experience.
• UK payroll knowledge is preferred, though not mandatory.
• Good analytical thinking and problem-solving ability.
• Intermediate-level Excel skills.
• Ability to manage time effectively and work under pressure to meet strict deadlines.
• Graduate in any stream or a diploma holder.
• Willingness to work in line with Strada’s values, including customer focus, accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, and quality-driven work.

Benefits

Strada offers a competitive total rewards package along with support for health, wellbeing, finances, and future planning. Benefits mentioned include health coverage, wellbeing programs, paid leave such as vacation, sick leave, and parental leave, retirement plans, learning opportunities, and other rewards. The company also provides continuing education, training, and growth opportunities within a global organization.

Additional information

All employment offers are conditional upon successful background verification, where allowed by law and appropriate for the role. Depending on the role and location, checks may include identity, education, employment, criminal history, global watchlist screening, credit reports, and/or drug testing. Candidates will be informed of the checks relevant to their position during recruitment.

Strada is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and maintains an equal opportunity hiring approach. The company does not discriminate on the basis of legally protected characteristics and supports underrepresented groups, with reasonable accommodations available for disabilities and religious practices upon request through the recruiter.

Applicants must already have current and future work authorization in the country of employment and must not require visa sponsorship from Strada.

The company notes that this job description does not limit its right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities, including movement to subsidiaries, partners, or future purchasers of the business.

Management also reserves the right to reassign duties and responsibilities as needed.