Payroll & Benefits Assistant

About Frontiers

At Frontiers, our purpose is simple yet ambitious: to make science open. We believe open science empowers the global scientific community to accelerate discovery and develop the solutions needed for healthy lives on a healthy planet.

We are one of the world’s largest and most influential open-access research publishers. Every article we publish is peer-reviewed and quality-certified, ensuring research is accessible to everyone, everywhere. To date, Frontiers research has been viewed over 4 billion times, demonstrating the real-world impact of science without barriers.

Joining Frontiers means being part of a global, mission-driven organization at the intersection of science, technology, and innovation — working alongside passionate colleagues who care deeply about advancing knowledge for the benefit of society. To learn more about our impact and culture, please watch this video.

About the role

We're looking for a Payroll and Benefits Assistant to join our HR Services team and support payroll and benefits administration across several countries, including the UK and Poland.

In this role, you'll help ensure accurate and timely monthly payroll processing by preparing payroll inputs, checking employee data, supporting reconciliations, and coordinating benefits enrolments and changes. You'll work closely with the Payroll and Benefits team, HR Operations, Finance, and external providers to ensure payroll and benefits processes run smoothly and comply with local requirements.

You'll also act as a point of contact for employees and managers, helping resolve payroll and benefits queries and explaining relevant policies and procedures. With guidance from the Payroll Team Lead and Payroll specialists, you'll gradually develop your knowledge of international payroll, tax, social security, and benefits administration, while contributing to reporting, audits, and process improvements.

If you're organised, comfortable working with numbers, have a strong eye for detail, and enjoy helping people, this is an excellent opportunity to develop your career in international payroll and HR operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and submit monthly payroll inputs to local payroll providers, including new hires, leavers, salary changes, bonuses, allowances, and absences.
• Support monthly payroll processing and salary payment activities, learning how payroll operations work across different countries.
• Perform regular payroll data checks and reconciliations, helping identify and resolve discrepancies and ensuring employee and absence data is accurate.
• Assist with the preparation and review of payslips, tax and social security filings (e.g. HMRC, ZUS, Revenue, and US federal and state requirements), and year-end documentation, under the guidance of Payroll specialists.
• Support monthly payroll-to-finance reporting and help ensure payroll data is accurately reflected in financial records.
• Coordinate employee benefits enrolments, changes, and terminations, including pensions, health and life insurance, and other country-specific benefits.
• Follow up on benefits provider invoices and support the timely processing of payments.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date benefits records, employee data, and related reports.
• Respond to employee and manager queries about payroll, benefits eligibility, plans, and relevant procedures, escalating more complex matters when needed.
• Support internal and external audits, surveys, and information requests related to payroll and benefits.
• Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), process documentation, and internal guidelines.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll and benefits processes, making effective use of HR systems, digital tools, and AI-powered technologies.
• Take ownership of assigned tasks and smaller projects, bringing new ideas and contributing to the continuous improvement of the HR Services team.

Requirements

• Up to 2 years of experience in payroll, HR administration, finance, or a similar role. Recent graduates and candidates looking to start or transition their careers into payroll and HR operations are also welcome.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to work accurately with numerical and employee data.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to manage recurring tasks and meet fixed monthly deadlines.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and confidence working with spreadsheets and data.
• An interest in technology and willingness to explore AI-powered tools and digital solutions to improve everyday processes.
• A high level of discretion and understanding of the importance of handling confidential employee and payroll information.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• A willingness to learn payroll, tax, social security, and benefits regulations across multiple countries.
• A proactive, service-oriented approach, with the confidence to respond to employee queries and collaborate with different teams.

Nice to have:

• Experience with Workday or another HR Information System (HRIS).
• Basic knowledge of payroll, tax, and social security regulations in the UK, Poland, Ireland, or the US.
• A degree or relevant qualification in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.

Benefits

• We prioritise office presence and emphasise in-person collaboration, but also offer appropriate adjustments where needed, in line with company policy
• Extra wellbeing days on top of your annual leave allowance
• Up to 3 paid volunteering days each year
• 24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme (wellbeing, mental health, legal & financial support)
• Learning & development support via the Frontiers Learning Hub

Equal opportunity statement

Frontiers actively embraces diversity and is a safe and welcoming workplace. Recruitment is free from discrimination – including based on race, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. With employees from more than 50 different nations, our diversity creates vibrant teams and constantly challenges us to appreciate multiple perspectives.