Job Description
Payroll & HR Assistant (12-Month FTC)
Location: Bedford, UK
Salary: Up to £36,500
Employment Type: Fixed-Term Contract (12 months)
Working Arrangement: Office-based with some flexibility on hours
Macildowie are working with this client based in Bedford to recruit a Payroll & HR Assistant to support the UK & Ireland payroll and HR administration functions. This is a 12-month maternity cover role, suited to someone who has hands-on experience running bureau-assisted payrolls and is confident working with minimal supervision.
You'll play a vital part in ensuring the smooth and timely delivery of three monthly payrolls, working closely with payroll providers (ADP for UK and Zellis for Ireland). Alongside payroll, you'll also manage benefits administration, support recruitment and onboarding activities, and maintain accurate employee records across the HR systems.
This role will suit someone with strong payroll knowledge (ideally ADP), excellent attention to detail, and a proactive, organised approach. Experience with pension auto-enrolment and benefits admin is essential.
This role will commence in February 2026 to allow for a thorough handover, ahead of the current post-holder's maternity leave. Office hours are 08:30 - 16:30 (Mon-Thu) and 08:30 - 16:00 (Fri), with some flexibility available.
Key Responsibilities:
- Process and manage monthly payrolls with external bureau support
- Maintain payroll records for starters, leavers, absence, and statutory payments
- Administer benefits schemes (Private Healthcare, Life Assurance, etc.)
- Handle pension administration, including auto-enrolment and re-enrolment
- Support general HR administration across onboarding, employee data, and compliance
- Ensure GDPR compliance and maintain HR systems accurately
Ideal Candidate Profile:
- Previous experience running bureau-assisted payrolls (100+ employees)
- Strong Excel skills including V-Lookups and Pivot Tables
- Experience using ADP (highly desirable)
- Able to work independently and prioritise workloads effectively
- High levels of confidentiality and professionalism
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Macildowie are a recruitment business working on behalf of a client to recruit this role. Your personal data may be forwarded to that client company as part of the application process.
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Macildowie is a specialist recruitment consultancy with a rich history of enhancing the careers of professionals across the Midlands and the Northern Home Counties. We have an unrivalled understanding of the local market place and recruit for the majority of the region's premier employers. To search for all of our live jobs please visit us at macildowie.com.
