Payroll Administrator in Milton Keynes

Permanent role

Working Hours: 30 hours per week, 6 hours per day (Mon – Fri), with flexibility required in working hours.

Location: Milton Keynes, MK7 8HX

Note: The first six months will be fully office‑based; some flexibility may be considered thereafter.

Overall Job Purpose: The role of the Payroll Administrator is to assist and work closely with the Payroll Manager within the Finance department and provide administration support for the Fleet Department (1 day per week).

Main Duties / Key Accountabilities:

• Support the processing of monthly payroll for over 400 employees, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality.
• Set up payments for all advances, floats, HMRC and any other payroll-related payments, and support the Payroll Manager on company payroll.
• Collate and supply payroll information to our payroll provider as per the agreed guidelines and timescales.
• Payroll reporting and drafting changes including journals.
• Include benefits payments (e.g. health care, pension, vehicle etc.).
• Monthly payroll sign‑off in the absence of the Payroll Manager.
• Reconciliation of payroll‑related GL accounts (e.g. salary deductions).
• Maintain employee payroll records, including starters, leavers and changes.
• Handle payroll queries from employees and resolve discrepancies promptly and with care.
• Supply payroll data to external sources such as unions, HMRC, CMS.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC regulations and submit RTI (Real Time Information) reports; assist with year‑end late statutory payments (SSP, SMP, SPP) and deductions (tax, NI, pensions).
• Administer pension contributions, liaise with pension providers, process P60 and P11D submissions and assist with starters and leavers for the stakeholder pension plan.
• Provide administrative support to fleet, including company BIKs, vehicle updates and processing of fines.
• Collaborate with HR and finance teams on related matters.
• Perform additional duties assigned by the Payroll Manager / Head of Finance / Head of Fleet, as required.

Competencies:

• Excellent attention to detail.
• Adaptability.
• Planning and organising: meeting all deadlines.
• Communication: clear at all levels.
• Customer orientation.
• Initiative.
• Accountability/ownership.
• Team working.
• Numerical accuracy.
• Problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong foundation in maths and general organisational skills.
• Proven experience in payroll administration (minimum of 2 years preferred) and payroll software proficiency is also a plus.
• Excel or another spreadsheet software is extremely helpful for this role alongside strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation and HMRC requirements.
• Ability to multi‑task, meet deadlines and manage workload efficiently while demonstrating exceptional attention to detail.
• Essential to correctly apply all expenses/payroll/car policies to ensure financial processes meet company obligations.
• Focused on delivering to stakeholder requirements, ensuring high quantity and quality of work.
• Ability to work independently on occasion.

Qualifications:

• Strong numeracy and analytical skills, proficiency in Microsoft Office, and a solid understanding of payroll legislation and regulations; fleet legislation knowledge is an advantage but not essential at this stage.
• GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including maths.
• Willingness to work toward desired qualifications.

Experience:

• Proven experience in a payroll environment, ideally with payroll software proficiency.

Personal Qualities:

• Ability to multi‑task, meet deadlines and manage workload efficiently while maintaining exceptional attention to detail and remaining calm under pressure.
• Build effective relationships at all levels, proactively communicate with other employees, and use tact and diplomacy as appropriate.
• Rigorously follow all payroll and pension policies and procedures to ensure compliance with company obligations.
• Strongly focused on delivering to stakeholder requirements, ensuring that quantity and quality of work consistently meet high standards and that all transactions and interactions are handled with care.