Consultant, Payroll
Let's be part of something together
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Finance & PayrollLondon, United Kingdom, N2 8AWEmployeeCompetitive
Apply Overview
About Us
McDonalds has run its business in the UK since 1974 and currently operates over 1500 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, serving almost four million customers each day. McDonalds is one of the UKs largest private sector employers, employing over 170,000 people.
Department OverviewHere is the chance to join our well-regarded Payroll Team in the early stage of our new payroll landscape following our system migration to Zellis ResourceLink/HCM Air late in 2025. You will take a leading role in all upcoming payroll projects working directly with the Payroll Manager, Systems & Compliance Manager and Payroll Team. There may also be a requirement to work with the team to process the payroll for around 18,000 of our crew every fortnight along with 2 monthly payrolls for our salaried staff (which may include you in the future!).
What Team will I be a part?
We have a very broad remit in Finance and are highly regarded, with the result that we have oversight of
everything that happens across the business and Payroll is at the heart of this.
Who are my customers?
McDonald’s UK Head Office, Restaurants and Operations
Government bodies and external organisations such as HMRC and external project partners
DutiesWell, what’s a normal day in payroll – There isn’t one as it changes every day. You could be supporting the fortnightly payroll one day and leading a project to cover the latest government changes the next. There will always be new things to learn and you will play a leading part in all new department projects. These may even be from an idea of your own that we explore and take on board, so the opportunities are endless.
Your main duties will include
Review and document current and future payroll processes
Work with the existing Payroll team to gain knowledge and understanding of the defined payroll requirements
Taking a leading role in all upcoming projects within the department
Liaise will all relevant stakeholders at all levels
Working with the team to ensure all team members are paid accurately and on time every time
Provide a high standard of customer service to all internal and external customers
Provide support to cross functional teams as requested; both within the department and broader business to triage support issues
Ensure integrity and security of all payroll data
Maintain internal control procedures to safeguard the integrity of the company
Assist with Year End processing for multiple companies
QualificationsWe will shortly be starting our journey to a new payroll software, so we need the ideal candidate to be up for a challenge and someone that really embraces change with both hands.
Key attributes you will have are:
Experience of working in a team
Minimum 5 years payroll systems & software migration experience
Comfort and experience of working in a fast paced and changing working environment
Experience and an ability to think outside of the box to solve problems
Continuous improvement and curious mindset
Knowledge of payroll and pension legislation and compliance
Adherence to payroll and statutory deadlines to mitigate risk of penalties and delayed payments
Be proficient with Microsoft Office software i.e. Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook etc.
Excellent interpersonal skills, confidence, keen eye for detail, high level of accuracy, resiliency and passionate about both payroll and McDonalds
Experience of system implementation projects
Experience of ResourceLink/Zellis HCM payroll system
Experience of ResourceLink Reporting Services (RRS)
Experience of Power Automate
Experience of process mapping payroll processes
Experience of salary sacrifice schemes e.g. pension, cars (Desirable)
Experience of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements within Payroll (Desirable)
At McDonald's, we are People from all Walks of Life...
Company Vision and Culture
Our Global vision is to build a better McDonalds and in the UK and Ireland we are working hard to be the UK & Irelands best-loved restaurant company.
McDonalds is defined by its culture. Our culture shapes and informs everything we think and everything we do. Our culture influences the way we interact with each other, and how we interact with customers, franchisees and suppliers. Our culture motivates and inspires us to attract and retain great talent, creating positive, energising, exceptional working environment for us all.
Our values drive our culture and shape our beliefs, our priorities and our actions. They influence the decisions we make, how we treat one another and how we show up as a brand to the world.
Serve: We put our customers and our people first
Inclusion: We open our doors to everyone
Integrity: We do the right thing
Community: We are good neighbours
Family: We get better together
At McDonalds we are People from all Walks of Life...
People are at the heart of everything we do, and they make the McDonalds experience. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture that means people can be their best authentic self in our restaurants and offices, which helps us to better serve our customers. We have a strong heritage of diversity and representation within our communities, which we are proud of. The diversity of our people, customers, Franchisees and suppliers gives us strength.
We do not tolerate inequality, injustice or discrimination of any kind. These are hugely important issues and a brand with our reach and relevance means we have a very meaningful role to play.
We also recognise our responsibility as a large employer to continue being active in our communities, helping to develop skills and drive aspirations that will help people to be more aware of the world of work and more successful within it, whether with McDonalds or elsewhere.
Benefits
perksHybrid Working
Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid working with 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.wellnessPrivate Medical Care
Corporate employees receive private medical care, either immediately or following 6 months service depending on your role.perksHoliday Allowance
Full-time office employees receive 28 days paid holiday annually, plus 2 months sabbatical per every 10 years’ service.wellnessWellness Benefits
Your wellbeing matters. Enjoy access to wellbeing resources, mental health support, and initiatives designed to help you feel your best – in and out of work.perksPension & Life Assurance
Access our stakeholder pension scheme alongside Life Assurance cover if you contribute a minimum of 3%.perksCareer Growth
We highly value talent and believe in helping our people grow. We support career progression through mentorship, training and leadership development opportunities.wellnessValues Heroes
We live by our values and we reward those who demonstrate their commitment to them.perksPerformance Reviews & Bonus
Your performance will be reviewed formally every 6 months and pay is reviewed annually based on performance. There is also potential to receive an annual bonus each year.perksMeals at Work
You can choose food from our restaurant menu on your break and can even try the latest promotions.recognitionLength of service
Your length of service doesn’t go unnoticed – we reward you with monetary benefits for long service.perksPay & Perks
Receive competitive pay and a range of exclusive perks, including employee discounts and an on-site gym at our Head Office.perksEmployee Discounts
Benefit from our generous employee discount scheme, covering a range of retailers and services across the UK.perksSummer Fridays
Summer Fridays allow our Corporate Careers teams to finish early, every Friday, during the summer months.MEET THE McD's TEAM
Sustainability
"My favourite thing about working at McDonald’s is the people…everybody from the restaurants up to exec, everyone is just brilliant."
Construction
"The best advice I could give someone joining McDonald’s is be yourself, bring all the knowledge you have gained and share those experiences amongst the team."
Sustainability
"My favourite thing about working at McDonald’s is the people…everybody from the restaurants up to exec, everyone is just brilliant."
Transcript[00:06] My name is Sasha.
[00:09] I am sustainability officer at McDonald's and I have
[00:12] been here for just under two years. My role is a really
[00:15] diverse one. My main focus is really about driving
[00:18] sustainability in the restaurants. How can we build
[00:21] our restaurants to a sustainable standard? How can we operate
[00:24] them to a sustainable standard whilst, you know also getting our
[00:27] crew involved. How can we sort of shift their behaviors? What can
[00:30] we do from that perspective? I also work a lot around greenhouse gas
[00:34] emissions and reporting. I think it's incredible that I work
[00:37] in a very small team. But when you
[00:40] think about the actual work that we do and the goals that we're sort of trying
[00:43] to achieve we're impacting around 1400
[00:46] restaurants that serve thousands of
[00:49] people every day. I think there's there's no other ways
[00:52] to describe the impact of my work. My favorite thing about working
[00:55] at McDonald's I'm sure everyone will say this but it's the people.
[00:59] Everybody from the restaurants all the way up to the
[01:02] exec everyone's just
[01:03] brilliant.
[01:04] My best memory would have to be
[01:07] COP 26 and as someone who dedicated
[01:10] my life to sustainability it felt like a
[01:13] once in a lifetime opportunity. It was
[01:17] really exciting just being in a room where I
[01:20] knew governments, leaders of countries, all
[01:23] these sort of officials were in a room deciding on
[01:27] policy around things that would actually dictate my career and
[01:30] the future of my career and I think I would never
[01:33] have had this opportunity if it weren't for actually being at McDonald's.
Construction
"The best advice I could give someone joining McDonald’s is be yourself, bring all the knowledge you have gained and share those experiences amongst the team."
Transcript[00:00] My name
[00:07] is Evan. I'm a construction manager and I've been at McDonald's
[00:10] for four years.
[00:11] My role as a construction manager is to look
[00:14] after my team of project managers working
[00:17] with our franchisees and our own restaurants
[00:20] to make them a better place for our customers. I don't really have
[00:23] a typical day. I split my time between between running my
[00:26] own construction projects, managing my team and engaging with
[00:29] the franchisees and the business on how we're progressing
[00:32] against our program. The size of the organization is
[00:35] just, you just find something
[00:38] new in it every day. It's sounds really cheesy, but it's it's
[00:41] a big family. The people here are one of the reasons that I enjoy my
[00:44] role so much. So the best piece of advice I could give for
[00:47] someone joining McDonald's is be yourself. Bring all the
[00:50] knowledge that you've got and share those experiences amongst the team just
[00:53] because we've been doing something one way doesn't mean that we're doing
[00:56] it the best way. The culture at McDonald's is really inclusive.
[00:59] You always learning stuff off different people
[01:02] be it brand new starters or people that have been here 30 years.
[01:05] We're, we really keen to develop people to
[01:08] be the best that they can be. So as long as you as an
[01:11] individual,
[01:12] want progression and training there's there's plenty of
[01:15] opportunities to develop yourself professionally and
[01:18] there's loads of opportunities which can provide
[01:21] accredited qualifications, you know apprenticeships as
[01:24] well as externally if you want to pursue something like
[01:27] a chartership like I did last year to be a chartered construction
[01:30] manager. Being part of McDonald's team is really great,
[01:33] it's rewarding and the people just make every day
[01:36] really fun to be at work.
Location
This remote role gives you the flexibility to work from home or another off-site location while staying fully connected to our people. You'll be a valued part of the team, working collaboratively to support our restaurants and corporate functions wherever you are.
Consultant, Payroll
- Location:
- London, United Kingdom, N2 8AW
- Contract Type:
- Employee
- Department/Role:
- Finance & Payroll
- Pay:
- Competitive
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect from the recruitment process?
The recruitment process differs for each role. If we think you’re a good fit, we’ll invite you to a competency based interview and then onto a second interview usually with an associated task to complete or present.
What are the pay rates at McDonald’s?
Our pay rates differ from role to role, but we always ensure that these rates remain competitive. Alongside this, we also offer a wide range of benefits including holiday and sick pay, and employee discounts that offer savings at over 1,600 retailers.
Does McDonald's offer flexible working?
Enjoy the flexibility of our hybrid working model with 3 days in the office to foster collaborative team environment and 2 days remote to support work/ life balance.
What documents should I provide as proof of eligibility to work?
Before we can employ you, we are required to verify your eligibility to work in the UK & Ireland. You’ll need to provide acceptable original documents such as a valid passport or a valid UK/Ireland visa (with a college letter listing term dates, where applicable). Only original documents will be accepted.
How do I apply for a vacancy at McDonald’s head office?
Either click on the 'Job search' page or the ‘Job search’ button on the page of the vacancy you’re interested in. Then select the role that suits you, and complete an online application form.
How much holiday am I entitled to?
All full-time members of the Head Office team get 28 days paid holiday as well as bank holidays on top. For part-time workers, holiday will be determined on a pro-rata basis.
What do I wear in the office?
At our Head Office, we have a Dress for your Day Policy - the bottom line is that we want you to be empowered to make the decisions that meet the needs of your day.
I have a disability, what support can I get with my McDonald's job application?
During the application process, you can request for any reasonable adjustments to be made so you can find the right support needed during the application and onwards.
I want my pronouns to be known if I get this role, is this possible?
Yes. When you work in Head Office, you’ll receive a company email address and will easily be able to include your desired pronouns in the signature.
Can I get individual feedback on my application or interview?
Due to the high level of applications we receive not everyone will receive individual feedback. This depends on where you are in our process and this could potentially be written or over the phone.
Are there any wellbeing services I can access?
Yes! McDonald’s has a wellbeing hub on the staff website and our colleagues have access to the Employee Assistant Programme (EAP), which is run by AXA health care, offering a variety of services.
Is there opportunity for progression at McDonald’s?
Definitely. We highly value talent and always aim to encourage employees to remain within our business. To put it into perspective, half of our Executive Team started their career in restaurants. At McDonald’s, there are no limits to how far or fast you can progress.
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