HR and Payroll Officer
Employment status: Full-time; permanent
Hours of work: 35 hours per week full time.
Remuneration: £32,000 to £36,000 per annum
Purpose of the role:
The HR and Payroll Officer is responsible for providing efficient, accurate, and confidential human resources and payroll support across the organisation. The role ensures that payroll processing, employee records, recruitment administration, and day-to-day HR operations are delivered effectively and in compliance with employment legislation, organisational policies, and statutory requirements.
Working closely with the organisation’s retained HR consultants, the postholder will act as the primary internal contact for HR administration and workforce matters, coordinating HR activities, implementing HR advice, and supporting managers and employees across the employee lifecycle. The role will be responsible for maintaining robust HR systems and processes, ensuring payroll accuracy, and supporting the delivery of a positive employee experience while escalating complex employee relations, policy, and employment law matters to the organisation’s HR consultants as appropriate.
The postholder will contribute to the continuous improvement of HR and payroll practices, providing accurate workforce data, supporting organisational initiatives, and helping to ensure compliance with all relevant employment, payroll, pension, and data protection requirements.
Key responsibilities:
Payroll Administration
- Collect and verify payroll information from each department, ensuring all data is accurate and authorised.
- Prepare and process two separate monthly payrolls accurately and within agreed deadlines.
- Maintain payroll records, ensuring all employee data is accurate and up to date.
- Maintain sickness records, ensuring all employee data is accurate and up to date.
- Process starters, leavers, contractual changes, salary adjustments, and deductions.
- Calculate statutory payments, including sick pay, maternity pay, paternity pay, and other entitlements.
- Administer pension contributions and liaise with pension providers as required.
- Reconcile payroll reports and resolve payroll discrepancies.
- Ensure compliance with HMRC regulations and payroll legislation.
- Respond to payroll-related queries from employees promptly and professionally.
- Prepare payroll reports and supporting documentation for finance and management teams.
- Prepare net pay BACS payments for authorisation.
- Ensure the accurate posting of payroll entries to the accounting system and maintain monthly reconciliations.
- Issue documents to employees promptly, including payslips, P45s and P60s.
- Prepare and reconcile end of year returns for HMRC, filing necessary returns online.
HR Administration (working with HR Consultants)
- Maintain accurate and confidential employee personnel records and HR systems.
- Administer recruitment processes, including advertising vacancies, coordinating interviews, issuing contracts, and onboarding new employees.
- Support pre-employment checks, including right-to-work checks, references, and DBS checks where applicable.
- Prepare employment contracts, offer letters, and other HR correspondence.
- Coordinate employee induction and onboarding activities.
- Monitor HR compliance requirements and employee documentation.
- Support absence management processes and maintain related records.
- Assist with the administration of performance management and appraisal processes.
- Track mandatory training and support learning and development activities.
- Produce HR reports and management information as required.
Employee Relations Support
- Provide first-line advice on HR policies and procedures.
- Support managers with employee relations matters, including absence, disciplinary, grievance, and capability processes.
- Assist in preparing documentation and arranging meetings relating to employee relations cases.
- Ensure HR practices are fair, consistent, and compliant with employment legislation.
Compliance and Policy Administration
- Support the review and implementation of HR policies and procedures.
- Ensure compliance with UK employment law, GDPR, payroll regulations, and organisational policies.
- Maintain confidentiality and security of employee data at all times.
- Assist with HR audits and payroll compliance reviews.
General Duties
- Contribute to continuous improvement of HR and payroll processes.
- Support organisational projects and initiatives as required.
- Develop positive working relationships with employees, managers, and external stakeholders.
- Undertake other duties commensurate with the level of the role.
Person Specifications:
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- A minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade 4/C or above, including English and Mathematics.
- Payroll, HR, or business administration qualification, or equivalent experience.
- Membership of CIPD (Level 3 or above), or willingness to work towards qualification.
- Understanding of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
- Knowledge of employment law and HR best practice.
- Understanding of pension administration processes.
- Knowledge of GDPR and data protection requirements.
Desirable
- CIPD Level 5 qualification.
- Payroll qualification (CIPP or equivalent).
- Experience using HRIS and payroll software systems.
- Experience working within the public sector, education, healthcare, or charitable sector.
- Experience producing HR and workforce reports.
- An understanding of the structures and governance of the Church of England.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong numeracy skills and financial awareness.
- Strong organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion.
- Effective problem-solving skills.
- Proactive and solution focused.
Desirable
- Knowledge of Xero accounting and payroll software.
Work-related Personal Qualities
Essential
- Positive, enthusiastic, and proactive, with a can-do attitude.
- Able to work in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the Church of England and the Cathedral’s values and code of conduct.
- Well organised and adaptable, able to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
- Accurate and detail-oriented, with the ability to work efficiently under pressure.
- Self-motivated and accountable, taking ownership of tasks and seeing them through to completion.
- Supportive and collaborative, building effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
Desirable
- An interest in the charity sector and charity accounting.
Employment Status: Full Time; Permanent
Hours of work: 35 hours per week
Remuneration: £32,000-£36,000 per annum
Discount: A discount of 10% is available from the Cathedral Shop and The Loft Café.
Parking: Limited parking is available in the Cathedral car park. Cars are parked at the risk of the owner.
Pension: Defined Contribution Scheme. Contributions as % of salary:
Age Employee Employer
<50 3% 5%
50–55 4% 8%
>55 5% 10%
Expenses: All reasonable working expenses will be met in line with Cathedral policy.
Holiday: 6.8 weeks per annum inclusive of bank holidays. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Annual leave is authorised by the Finance Manager.
Location: Wells Cathedral Offices, 1st & 2nd Floors, 16 Market Place, Wells, BA5 2RB.
Closing Date: Monday 14 September 2026, 9am
A completed Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form should be returned to the Human Resources Department by email to: [email protected].
Shortlisting Date: Wednesday 16 September 2026
To ensure the fairness of the selection process, shortlisting will be based upon the information which you provide in your application and assumptions will not be made about your experience or skills.
We will look for demonstrable evidence that you meet the criteria set out in the person specification. Information provided on the application form will be viewed by HR, the recruiting manager, and interview panel. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the shortlisting process.
Interview Date: Monday 21 September 2026
The appointment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of pre employment checks, including references and a satisfactory basic DBS check.
Pay: £32,000.00-£36,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
