Location: Hybrid/Remote
Hours: Full-Time 37.5 hours per week.
Reporting To: Payroll Manager
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Officer to join our payroll services team, providing outsourced payroll services to NHS Trust clients. The successful candidate will be responsible for the end-to-end processing of complex NHS payrolls, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and exceptional client service.
This role requires extensive experience of NHS payroll operations, including Agenda for Change pay structures, ESR, statutory payments, pensions administration, and payroll reconciliation. The successful candidate will act as a key contact for NHS clients and support the delivery of payroll services in accordance with agreed service levels.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Processing
- Process end-to-end payrolls for NHS Trust clients, ensuring accuracy and adherence to payroll schedules.
- Validate payroll inputs including contractual changes, starters, leavers, salary amendments, overtime, enhancements, on-call payments, and deductions.
- Calculate and process statutory payments, including maternity, paternity, adoption, and sick pay.
- Review payroll outputs and perform pre-payroll and post-payroll reconciliations.
- Process payroll adjustments, arrears calculations, and retrospective amendments.
Expense Processing
- Process employee expense claims accurately and within agreed service levels.
- Review and validate expense submissions against NHS and client policies.
- Ensure appropriate approvals and supporting documentation are in place before payment.
- Process travel, subsistence, mileage, professional fees, relocation, and other employee reimbursement claims.
- Investigate and resolve expense-related queries and discrepancies.
- Reconcile expense reports and ensure accurate integration with payroll where applicable.
- Support compliance with HMRC regulations relating to taxable and non-taxable expenses.
NHS Payroll Expertise
- Apply knowledge of Agenda for Change terms and conditions, pay awards, increments, and enhancements.
- Process payroll transactions in ESR and other payroll systems as required.
- Administer pension deductions and reporting in accordance with the NHS Pension Scheme.
- Ensure compliance with NHS payroll regulations and client-specific procedures.
Client Relationship Management
- Act as a primary point of contact for designated NHS Trust clients.
- Respond to payroll queries and resolve complex payroll issues promptly.
- Build strong working relationships with client HR, Finance, and Workforce teams.
- Participate in client meetings and service reviews as required.
Compliance and Quality Assurance
- Ensure compliance with HMRC legislation, payroll regulations, GDPR, and contractual service requirements.
- Maintain accurate payroll records and audit trails.
- Support internal and external audits.
- Identify risks, discrepancies, and process improvements.
Team Support
- Provide guidance and support to Payroll Officers and junior team members.
- Assist with training, onboarding, and knowledge sharing.
- Support payroll system testing, upgrades, and process improvement initiatives.
Essential Requirements
Experience
- Minimum 5 years' payroll experience, including significant NHS payroll processing experience.
- Experience managing payrolls for large employee populations.
- Experience working within a payroll bureau, shared services, or outsourced payroll environment is highly desirable.
- Experience using ESR and/or other large payroll systems.
Knowledge
- Strong understanding of Agenda for Change pay structures and NHS payroll rules.
- Working knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, pensions, and statutory payments.
- Understanding of payroll controls, reconciliations, and compliance requirements.
Skills
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple client payrolls and deadlines simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
Desirable Qualifications
- CIPP qualification or equivalent payroll certification.
- Experience of payroll transitions, implementations, or service migrations.
- Experience working within an outsourced payroll or managed services environment.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Hybrid and flexible working opportunities.
- Ongoing professional development and training.
- Exposure to large-scale NHS payroll operations.
- Career progression opportunities within a growing payroll services organisation.
This role is ideal for a payroll professional who combines strong technical NHS payroll knowledge with excellent client service skills and experience working in a fast-paced outsourced payroll environment.
Pay: £40,000.00-£70,000.00 per year
Work Location: Remote
