Payroll Officer

About the Role We are seeking a committed and detail-focused Payroll Officer to join a forward-thinking People & Inclusion function. This role supports a modern, relational way of working—one that values trust, empathy, partnership and continuous learning. You will play a key role in delivering a high-quality payroll service, supporting staff and managers with expert guidance, and helping to drive continuous improvement across the HR and payroll environment. If you are passionate about accuracy, excellent service delivery and human-centred practice, this is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a people-first organisation. Key Responsibilities Payroll Operations * Process monthly payroll for multiple groups including starters, leavers, contractual changes, overtime, expenses, salary sacrifice and more. * Provide responsive payroll advice to employees and stakeholders. * Ensure all transactions meet statutory, audit and organisational requirements. * Investigate and resolve payroll issues such as overpayments, underpayments, tax, NI and pension queries. * Correct FPS/EPS errors and liaise with external payroll and pension providers where necessary. * Maintain pension records and update relevant portals for Teachers, LPFA, NHS and other schemes. * Draft payroll-related communications including overpayment notifications and payment requests (CHAPS/BACS). * Support system testing, upgrades and process improvement within the Oracle Cloud payroll system. HR & Employee Support * Act as a first point of contact for staff and managers, providing clear guidance on HR policies and procedures. * Advise on topics such as sickness absence, conduct, dignity at work, family leave, benefits and performance frameworks. * Collaborate with HR Business Advisors on complex pay queries and redundancy calculations. * Lead on flexi-retirement processes and initiate exit interviews. * Maintain accurate employee records and ensure compliance with GDPR and confidentiality standards. Continuous Improvement & Learning * Keep up to date with changes in payroll legislation and best practice. * Support knowledge-sharing across the team and help develop consistent, high-quality payroll procedures. * Contribute to cross-functional projects and system enhancements. * Complete mandatory payroll learning modules annually. Skills & Experience * Strong, proven payroll experience in a busy environment. * Experience using HR/Payroll Cloud systems (Oracle Cloud desirable). * Excellent attention to detail and accuracy. * Strong interpersonal and communication skills. * Solid understanding of statutory payroll processes, deductions, tax, NI, pensions and family leave. * Good Excel skills, including the ability to analyse and interpret payroll data. * Ability to collaborate effectively and work with transparency and empathy. Desirable * Payroll qualification. * ACT Payroll Assessment (mandatory to pass within role). What You’ll Bring * A people-centred approach to service delivery. * Confidence solving complex problems and managing sensitive information. * A commitment to learning, flexibility and continuous improvement. * The ability to work collaboratively and build strong working relationships