Pay & Policy Compliance Officer

As a Pay & Policy Compliance Officer, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Birmingham City Council’s remuneration policies, payroll processes, and reward practices are compliant, fair, and aligned with organisational strategy. You will act as a subject matter expert in pay and policy compliance, ensuring that all payroll activity meets legal, tax, and regulatory requirements. You’ll review and verify payroll data, identify discrepancies, and ensure accurate and timely information is provided to employees and managers.

Working closely with the Pay & Policy Compliance Lead, you will support audits, risk assessments, benchmarking exercises, and the development of robust pay and reward policies. You will also lead on specific workstreams and projects, ensuring improvements are delivered effectively and sustainably. This role includes line management responsibility, supporting and developing the Pay & Policy Compliance Advisor, and requires strong project management capability to drive forward key initiatives. A significant part of the role involves data manipulation and analysis, working confidently with both small and large datasets to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

• Reviewing and verifying payroll data, calculations, and reports to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Identifying, investigating, and resolving payroll discrepancies, including overpayments, underpayments, and data errors.
• Supporting audits, risk assessments, and benchmarking activities across pay and reward systems.
• Providing expert advice on pay, reward, and policy compliance matters.
• Leading and contributing to projects that enhance payroll processes, systems, and compliance frameworks.
• Developing and maintaining clear, accessible payroll and policy documentation.
• Analysing complex datasets to produce meaningful insights and recommendations.
• Managing and supporting the Pay & Policy Compliance Advisor, fostering a positive and high‑performing team culture.
• Ensuring all work aligns with HR best practice, employment law, and internal governance requirements.

About You

You will bring a strong foundation in HR, payroll, and employment law, with the confidence to act as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert. You’ll be analytical, detail‑focused, and able to translate complex information into clear, actionable guidance.

You will also have:

• Essential knowledge of HR and Employment Law, with the ability to apply this confidently to pay and policy activity.
• Experience working in a large, complex organisation.
• Strong data analysis skills, including the ability to manipulate and interpret datasets of varying sizes.
• Experience writing and developing people policies and procedures.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels.
• Experience working with Trade Unions.
• Strong project management capability, with a track record of delivering improvements.
• Experience managing or supervising others.
• Excellent IT skills and confidence using HRIS, payroll systems, and data tools.
• The ability to work independently, use initiative, and manage competing priorities.

Please upload your up-to-date CV via the attachments part of your application, this is required for shortlisting. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV attached.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people. We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.

For any informal enquiries please contact: Resourcing@birmingham.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken. Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed. Birmingham City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our citizens and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.