Payroll Officer – AR

Job Description – Payroll Officer

Job Title

Payroll Officer

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Officer to support the accurate and timely delivery of payroll services across the organisation. The successful candidate will be responsible for administering end-to-end payroll processes, maintaining payroll and pension records, ensuring compliance with statutory legislation, and providing excellent customer service to employees and stakeholders.

Experience using iTrent is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Process end-to-end payroll accurately and within agreed deadlines.
• Administer payroll and pension schemes, ensuring all deductions and contributions are processed correctly.
• Process statutory payments including Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), and other statutory entitlements in line with current legislation.
• Administer colleague expenses and maintain payroll records relating to absences and employee changes.
• Maintain payroll control accounts, including net pay and pension reconciliations, ensuring all transactions are accurate and complete.
• Reconcile payroll records and investigate discrepancies, taking corrective action where required.
• Extract, analyse and produce payroll and financial reports using payroll and finance systems.
• Support monthly and year-end payroll activities, ensuring all statutory submissions and documentation are completed within required deadlines.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and ensure compliance with payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, pensions regulations and data protection requirements.
• Respond to complex payroll queries from employees, managers and external organisations, providing accurate advice and maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Support internal and external audit processes by preparing payroll documentation and responding to audit requests.
• Assist with the preparation of statutory and financial reporting where required.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of payroll processes, systems and procedure documentation.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, managers, pension providers and external stakeholders.
• Provide support and cover across the wider finance and payroll team when required.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Previous experience working in a Payroll Officer, Payroll Administrator or similar payroll position.
• Experience processing end-to-end payroll.
• Knowledge of UK payroll legislation, HMRC requirements and statutory payments.
• Experience administering workplace pensions and payroll deductions.
• Experience carrying out payroll reconciliations and investigating payroll discrepancies.
• Ability to produce payroll reports and analyse payroll data.
• Strong numerical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and payroll systems.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Understanding of GDPR and the importance of maintaining confidential payroll information.

Desirable

• Experience using iTrent (MHR) payroll system.
• Experience working within the housing association, local authority, NHS or wider public sector.
• Knowledge of payroll control accounts and financial reconciliations.
• Experience supporting payroll audits and year-end payroll processes.

Key Competencies

• Payroll Administration
• Payroll Compliance
• Payroll Reconciliations
• Pensions Administration
• HMRC & Statutory Payments
• Payroll Reporting
• Data Analysis
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Confidentiality
• Problem Solving
• Time Management