Recruiting for a Payroll Specialist to join our Head Office in Westminster!

GBP 45,000 per annum, working 35 hours per week, plus 25 days Annual Leave, Pension schemes, Staff discounts, healthcare and more.

Job Overview:

The Payroll Specialist is a hands-on role responsible for delivering an effective and efficient payroll service to Look Ahead Care, Support and Housing, which meets the organisations changing business requirements. They will ensure the integrity of Look Ahead’s payroll system at all times and ensure accurate, prompt payment to all employees, workers and Board Members.

Key Responsibilities:

• Be responsible for the day to day delivery and coordination of the Payroll function, ensuring all objectives are met and a first class Payroll service is delivered to Look Ahead’s employees, workers and Board members, to agreed deadlines

• Deliver a comprehensive payroll control system that ensures the completeness, accuracy and integrity of the organisation’s payroll systems

• Produce suitable exception reports to identify and rectify any payroll errors arising within Look Ahead’s financial ledgers

• Work with the broader Finance function to ensure that payroll data processing reviews are rigorously and independently checked, validated and signed off

• Work with the broader Finance function to ensure that Finance system accounting information and associated updates remain harmonised with Look Ahead’s chosen HR platform

• Act as liaison with internal and external auditors and other 3rd parties (as appropriate) on all matters with regard to Payroll processes, controls and systems

• Act as liaison with Look Ahead’s payroll bureau, HR department and Business Systems team on all areas of the payroll.

• Maintain the accuracy and integrity of Look Ahead’s payroll database

• Ensure all information, requests and queries received from the HR Department, and Operational Staff is accurately, promptly and professionally dealt with each month so that staff and workers receive accurate salaries by the relevant due date, including overtime, bank worker timesheets, leaver and starter information and any ad hoc payments as required

• Produce and monitor balance sheet reconciliations and payroll/HR reconciliations ensuring that they are prepared on time and to standard i.e., reconciliations are meaningful, and items are cleared out in a timely manner

• Develop and implement Payroll KPI’s and performance monitoring reports, ensuring Payroll services are measured and benchmarked against other leading Payroll Teams and promotes a culture that is customer-focussed, and customer led

• Review and re-engineer payroll processes, procedures and controls ensuring they continue to meet the business requirements and that they are streamlined, standardised and automated as far as is possible.

• Ensure all payroll procedures and controls are documented and up to date

• Complete the monthly submission to the pension provider and manage the administration of the pension scheme.

• Manage the relationship with the outsourced payroll provider. Ensure all payments and deductions are processed and calculated correctly, and all journals are posted and relevant reconciliations are complete.

• Lead on the sign off of the monthly payroll

• Maintain effective liaison with external agencies and government offices to ensure deductions are paid by relevant dates, all required statutory returns are submitted by deadline dates and respond to enquiries courteously and promptly

• Keep up to date with the latest legal and regulatory payroll developments and ensure Look Ahead is fully compliant

• Ensure effective liaison with Look Ahead’s employees and workers by dealing with enquiries courteously and promptly

• Engender a culture which is customer focussed

• Prepare ad-hoc reports required by Operational and Contract Officers.

• Assist other finance department staff in the investigation, analysis and comparison of pay cost spending to budgets

• Deliver training on payroll procedures at Finance Inductions, ensuring that all new employees are aware of Payroll Procedures and Controls and keep the payroll section of Finance Users’ guide up to date

• Comply with the organisation’s equal opportunities policies and practices

• Other ad-hoc tasks and duties as required

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication

• Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can-do attitude

• Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement

• Can work to tight deadlines

• Approachable, open & demonstrates professional behaviour

• Excellent at building effective working relationships

• Is confident in identifying and successfully resolving issues or conflict

• Drives change, enjoys dynamic diverse environments and demonstrates creativity and innovation in finding solutions

• Strong customer service approach

• Is passionate and enthusiastic about what Look Ahead does

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:
Essential:

• CIPP qualification in Payroll and Pensions Management or qualified by experience

• Experience with iTrent Payroll Solutions or similar payroll system

• Intermediate or above Level IT competency, particularly in Microsoft Word, Excel

• Excellent attention to detail