Payroll Team Leader

The primary function of the role is the provision of high-quality payroll services together with supervision of the Payroll Officers within the Payroll Service team.  

This post will provide team leadership to 3/ 4 payroll officers and may be asked to support other team leaders and their Faculties 

The role holder will form and maintain strong working relationships across Finance, HR & other areas of the university that their allocated faculty relates too, they will be required to visit other campus to maintain relationships, support administrators on their allocated faculty campus with sending over correct information 

About the Finance Directorate

The Finance Directorate comprises some c.130 roles located across all of our campuses in central London.   The Financial Services department of c.85 roles provides various accounting, assurance, advisory and financial processing functions for the whole university. This department is partnered by c.35 member team of Management Accountants and 10 members of staff in the Purchasing Strategy Team.  

The Finance Directorate is currently working in a hybrid, remote and office based, mode. Regular attendance on campus will be required in our Lavington Street site along with part time home or remote working. 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a full-time

The role holder will be responsible for / ensure that:  

•       They supervise a team of 3-4 payroll officers to strive for the highest standards of performance to ensure accurate and timely payrolls 

•       They support and direct the work of the payroll officers, sharing knowledge to provide a professional service to the employees 

•       They build excellent working relations with key stakeholders within the Faculties & Directorates 

•       They provide first line support regarding payroll enquiries and processes, advising Payroll Officers and investigating any discrepancies 

•       They will require to deal with complex queries from the team or clients (referring upwards as required) 

•       They will require deal with complex record changes on the HR Payroll system (or assisting team members to do so) 

•       They will be required to train new team members and retrain current team members as required 

•       They review current processes and propose ways to make improvements, working with the service managers as appropriate 

•       They will undertake extensive weekly checking of all payroll input  

•       They organize absence cover for the Payroll Officers within their team 

•       They ensure that all payroll production and payroll administration processes are adhered to and properly documented in order to legal compliance  

•       They ensure that all audit requirements are maintained by themselves and the Payroll Officers 

•       They accurately prepare the payroll, for those areas of responsibility assigned, ensuring all pension, statutory deductions are correctly processed 

•       They receive data changes and manage workload via our ticketing system, Remedy Force, administering and monitoring the tickets across the teams whilst ensuring all deadlines are met on time 

•       They ensure the proper and accurate recording of adjustments to salary payments and calculation of manual adjustments, arising from sick pay adjustments, maternity/shared parental pay and other absences from work in accordance with statutory and contractual obligations, as authorised by Human Resources 

•       They ensure that all new starters and leavers are accurately adjusted on the HR/payroll system, all statutory forms are completed and where necessary overpayment procedures are commenced 

•       They check the Officers’ calculations of overpayments of salary to staff in order to provide information and negotiate how monies are recovered 

•       They monitor the monthly audit reports and investigate any inconsistencies. 

•       They maintain full working knowledge of all Statutory and Contractual legislation & procedures affecting the payroll operations area 

•       They liaise closely with the Pensions and Payroll Admin teams, ensuring processes and cross information is communicated 

•       They keep up to date with changes in the sector, service discipline and university in general that may impact on the role. 

•       They will have strong communication and customer service skills being able to deal with a wide range of seniority of staff, and other key stakeholders. Communicating both clearly and accurately having the ability to determine the level of understanding of the staff member when dealing with complex issues 

•       They will play an active part in the Financial Services community and demonstrate a commitment to change, improvement and development both as an individual and in the provision of services to the university and outside stakeholders. 

•       This role will demonstrate the King’s commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion to empower everyone to participate and contribute fully to the university.  

•       The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Essential criteria  

1.    Professional Payroll Qualification or a minimum of 2 years payroll experience 

2.    Educated to GCSE/A-Level (including Mathematics and English) 

3.    Strong understanding of payroll processes, taxation and National Insurance regulations including statutory reporting requirements processes and procedures. 

4.    Excellent organisational and time management skills. 

5.    Customer service skills and a service approach in your professional work 

6.    Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in the written word, in person and on the telephone  

7.    Experience of working and delivering payroll services to meet tight deadlines 

8.    Experience of a customer service environment  

9.    Numerate and IT literate with the ability to use the standard suite of office software together with knowledge of one or more corporate Finance and HR systems. 

10.    Experience of using an integrated HR/Payroll system 

Desirable criteria

1.    Knowledge of University Pension Schemes 

2.    Basic understanding of employment law 

3.    Experience of having worked in or with the university sector