Payroll Officer

At Cherubs Nurseries, our values are not posters on the wall, they are how we lead, make decisions and care for one another every day.

Child-Centric – Children come first, always.
Communicate with Purpose – Clear, honest and kind.
Play to Win – Ambitious for quality, outcomes and growth.
Seek Out Solutions – Curious, proactive and resilient.
Look Out for Each Other – Because people matter.

As our Payroll Officer, you will play a vital role in supporting the people who care for our children by ensuring employees are paid accurately, compliantly and on time, whilst delivering an excellent service to colleagues and managers across the organisation.

Why This Role Matters

Payroll is more than processing salaries. It is about creating trust, supporting colleagues and ensuring our teams can focus on delivering exceptional outcomes for children and families.

You will take ownership of payroll administration from start to finish, ensuring employee records, statutory payments, pensions and payroll changes are managed accurately and professionally. Working closely with our Heads of Nursery, Heads of Department and People & Culture Team, you will help maintain compliance, improve processes and deliver a service our teams can rely on.

What You'll Be Doing

• Processing monthly payroll accurately and on time
• Managing new starters, leavers, contractual changes and salary amendments
• Administering statutory payments including SSP, SMP and SPP
• Supporting workplace pension administration and employee queries
• Submitting payroll information to HMRC and meeting all statutory deadlines
• Investigating and resolving payroll discrepancies
• Producing payroll reports and management information
• Supporting managers and employees with payroll-related queries
• Maintaining accurate records, audit trails and compliance documentation
• Identifying opportunities to improve payroll systems and processes
• Working collaboratively with People & Culture and Finance teams

What we're looking for

Essential

• 3-5 years' experience processing payroll from start to finish
• Experience managing variable payrolls
• Experience administering workplace pensions
• Experience processing statutory payments and HMRC submissions
• Strong payroll system knowledge
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong numerical and analytical skills
• Advanced organisational and time management skills
• Excellent communication and customer service skills
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills

Desirable

• Payroll qualification or relevant professional qualification
• Finance, accounting or bookkeeping qualification
• Membership of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) or ATT

What Success Looks Like

As Payroll Officer, you will:

• Deliver accurate, compliant payroll on time, every time
• Resolve payroll queries professionally and efficiently
• Maintain reliable records, systems and audit trails
• Support managers with payroll processes and requirements
• Drive continuous improvement in payroll systems and reporting
• Build trusted relationships across the organisation

Career Development

At Cherubs, we believe in helping our people grow.

This role offers opportunities to:

• Develop specialist payroll expertise
• Gain additional professional qualifications
• Broaden experience across Payroll, Finance and People & Culture
• Progress into more senior payroll positions as the organisation continues to grow

What You'll Need

• Commitment to confidentiality, GDPR and safeguarding
• Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references
• Right to work in the UK
• A proactive, solution-focused approach
• Commitment to ongoing professional development

Remember, this role description is just a guide. If you see something you can’t tick off, we will support you to learn, develop and grow. Also, we want to make our recruitment process as accessible as possible – so please let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments making.

Disclaimer: Cherubs Nurseries is committed to upholding a safe and compliant workforce and business. All roles require: the right to work in the United Kingdom, the completion of a “Keeping Children Safe” Form, a DBS and at least 2 satisfactory employment references. Some roles may also require a 5-year employment history.Cherubs Nurseries is an equal opportunities employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments to support candidates and employees with disabilities and learning difficulties.

You will need to wait until your enhanced DBS has been returned and we have received 2 satisfactory references before you can start.

Please note that this role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

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