Who are we?
At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We also create incredible assessment clinical and professional tests to help people to growth in their personal and professional lives. We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large, and small.
What you’ll do
The Operations Associate provides critical financial and operational coordination to Pearson’s Global Payroll team. This role ensures accurate budget tracking, vendor payment processing, and financial variance resolution, while also supporting teamwide operations such as team meetings and executive presentation preparation.
Success in this position requires the ability to communicate in a mature and professional manner, adapt to different audiences, and collaborate effectively with individuals from diverse countries, cultures, and professional backgrounds.
This is an excellent early-career opportunity for someone eager to gain broad exposure to business operations, finance, and team coordination within a global enterprise.
Who you will work with
This role reports directly to the Vice President of Global Payroll. You will work closely with the Regional Payroll Leaders, HR leaders, members of Finance, and external vendors.
Responsibilities
Budget Monitoring & Analysis
• Compare monthly budget versus actuals and identify key variances
• Partner with Finance Business Partners and Accounting to research and explain discrepancies
• Assist in preparing variance commentary and reporting for leadership review
Vendor Purchase Orders & Invoice Management
• Create and maintain purchase orders for payroll vendors
• Code and submit vendor invoices to Source-to-Pay (A/P) for processing
• Track invoice and purchase order status
Vendor & Stakeholder Support
• Act as the first point of contact for payroll vendors regarding payment status inquiries
• Liaise with Finance, Accounting, and other internal stakeholders to resolve payment or charge-related issues
Financial Research & Problem-Solving
• Investigate department charges that appear out of scope or misaligned with budget expectations
• Analyze data and propose solutions, demonstrating sound judgment and critical thinking
• Support ad-hoc financial and operational projects as assigned by the VP
Team & Presentation Support
• Coordinate logistics for all-hands or team meetings, including agenda preparation, scheduling, and follow-up actions
• Assist with the creation and formatting of PowerPoint decks, reports, and executive-level presentations
Required skills/experience
• Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent work experience)
• 2+ years of experience in finance, operations, accounts payable/receivable, or business operations
• Intermediate-level proficiency with Microsoft Excel (e.g. pivot tables, v-lookup, charts)
• Comfortable working in ambiguous situations and exercising critical thinking to drive clarity
• Highly organized with attention to detail and a proactive approach
• Must be fluent in English
Preferred experience
• Basic understanding of financial principles and accounting procedures
• Experience with Oracle EBS
• Experience with iProcurement or other spend management tools