Senior Operations & Payroll Governance Lead (Workday / Fourth / iiPay)

Remote — High-Stakes Stabilisation Projects (8–12 Week Cycles)We are hiring the person who becomes “the adult in the room” when a client’s payroll and People Services operation is falling apart.If you’re the person who can enter a chaotic, multi-system environment — Workday, Fourth, iiPay, multiple vendors, hundreds of errors, thousands of employees — and bring order, rhythm, and governance fast, this role is for you.Our consulting division runs critical payroll stabilisation and operational recovery programmes for organisations facing:System-to-system breakdownsFragmented process ownershipVendor failures and slow remediationHigh payroll error volumesOverloaded People Services teamsZero governance or control structureYou will be the independent oversight lead across these projects — the one who diagnoses the truth, restores control, and rebuilds confidence at the leadership level.What will you lead End-to-End Diagnostic & Evidence MappingRun a structured 1–3 week diagnostic to uncover root causes across Workday → Fourth → iiPay.Replace speculation with evidence using issue logs, error clustering, and data lineage mapping.Produce rapid findings reports that leadership can act on.2. Governance & Control Framework DesignBuild clean governance structures: cadences, boards, escalations, SLAs, KPIs.Implement pre-payroll checks, cut-off discipline, workflow ageing, and exceptions tracking.Create dashboards that cut through noise and give leadership visibility instantly.3. Vendor Oversight & Accountability Coordinate PwC, Fourth, iiPay, IT, HRIS, and People Services — without taking sides.Establish performance scorecards and escalation paths.Ensure vendors stop finger-pointing and start delivering against evidence-backed expectations.4. People Services Operating Model Review Assess capability, gaps, workload, and structure.Identify whether roles are aligned to the operating model required for payroll stability.Provide leadership with an honest, neutral, evidence-based recommendation.5. Leadership Reporting & High-stakes Communication Present weekly updates and executive summaries.Provide clear interpretation of risks, dependencies, and required decisions.Become the trusted voice that leadership relies on throughout the recovery.6. Embedding & TransitionEnsure improvements stick after the 12 weeks.Build handover kits, SOPs, documentation, governance charters, and sustainability plans.Set the client up for long-term success without dependency on us.You will thrive if you canStep into ambiguity and create structure quicklyManage multiple vendors with confidence and neutralitySimplify complex systems and workflows into simple narrativesRun discovery with HRIS, Payroll, IT, and People ServicesPresent to senior leadership with clarity and authorityStabilise chaos while keeping teams aligned and calmMove fast — and keep everyone else moving fastExperience we are looking forYou do not need to configure Workday or run payroll — but you must deeply understand:HRIS–Payroll–WFM interdependenciesWorkday → Fourth → Payroll data chainsError modes (starters/leavers, shifts, overtime, absence, costing)Vendor governance and SLAsControls, checks, and reconciliation conceptsPMO or operational transformation deliveryHigh-stakes, time-pressured recovery environmentsBackgrounds that fit well:Payroll governance or operations oversightHRIS/Payroll project manager / PMO leadService delivery / shared services improvementOperational transformation consultantVendor management or integration oversightWhat you will NOT DoYou will not run payroll.You will not configure Workday or Fourth.You will not build integrations.Your role is independent oversight and operational control, not technical execution.What you will get High Impact WorkYou’ll work directly with leadership teams in organisations managing tens of thousands of employees.Autonomy & OwnershipYou’ll run the programme end-to-end — no micromanagement.Career AccelerationThese engagements develop senior-level skills in governance, executive communication, and multi-system oversight.Global Remote TeamWork alongside specialists across the UK, Europe, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Canada, and more.Fast Growth EnvironmentWe reward clarity, speed, and decisiveness.Who this role is for People who:Take controlDon’t wait for instructionsThrive in messy environmentsCommunicate simply and directlyThink in systemsEnjoy stabilising operationsAre comfortable leading vendors, teams, and leadershipCan deliver structured outcomes fastHow to ApplyIf you’re built for this kind of work — decisive, structured, calm under pressure, and able to bring order to chaotic multi-vendor payroll environments — we want to speak with you.Apply now.