Payroll Officer – AR

Job Details

Payroll Officer

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Officer to administer and maintain payroll and pension systems and records, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time and that all statutory and financial requirements are met.

Experience with ITrent is desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain payroll and pension systems and records, including colleague expenses, statutory payments and absence-related payments.
• Process payroll accurately and within agreed deadlines, ensuring compliance with current statutory rules and regulations.
• Operate and maintain payroll control accounts, including net pay and pension accounts.
• Carry out regular payroll and financial reconciliations, investigating discrepancies and taking corrective action where required.
• Extract and analyse payroll and financial data and prepare statutory returns, reports and other documentation.
• Assist with monthly, period-end and year-end payroll close-down procedures.
• Support the production of statutory and financial accounts and provide information to internal and external auditors.
• Respond to and resolve complex payroll-related queries from employees and stakeholders within agreed timescales.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date manual and computerised payroll records.
• Identify opportunities for improvements to payroll processes, systems and procedures and contribute to business transformation initiatives.
• Assist with developing and maintaining payroll procedure manuals and operational processes.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to investigate issues and recommend appropriate corrective action.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure payroll information is handled in accordance with data protection requirements.
• Develop effective working relationships with colleagues and customers.
• Provide cover across other roles within the directorate when required.

Essential Experience

• Strong experience in a payroll environment, ideally with end-to-end payroll processing.
• Experience of payroll reconciliations and control accounts.
• Knowledge of statutory payments, pensions and payroll legislation.
• Experience handling complex payroll queries and resolving discrepancies.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work accurately to strict deadlines.
• Good IT and data analysis skills, with experience using payroll and financial systems.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential employee information appropriately.

Desirable

• Experience using ITrent.
• Experience working within a housing association, local authority, public sector or large organisation.
• Experience supporting financial reporting, audits and year-end processes.