Payroll Manager

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve. We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve. As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff. Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We're seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead the delivery and continuous improvement of payroll and pensions services for more than 5,000 employees across the Harris Federation. This pivotal role will ensure payroll is delivered accurately, compliantly and on time, while working closely with HR, Finance and our outsourced payroll provider to provide an exceptional service to colleagues across the organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to join Harris at a time of significant organisational and systems transformation. We are looking for a proactive and adaptable payroll professional who is motivated by change and eager to play a key role in modernising and future-proofing our payroll and pensions operations. You will be confident in leveraging technology, driving process improvements and supporting stakeholders across a large and diverse organisation to deliver efficient, effective and customer-focused services. While experience of Oracle Fusion would be beneficial, it is not essential. More important is your ability to combine strong technical payroll expertise with excellent stakeholder management skills, a customer-centric mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement. You will be equally comfortable contributing to strategic initiatives and taking a hands-on approach to ensuring high-quality operational delivery. As part of a collaborative, supportive and highly committed team, you will have the opportunity to make a significant impact by enhancing payroll and pensions processes, improving service delivery and supporting colleagues across our academies and central services. This is an excellent opportunity to help shape the future of payroll and pensions services within one of the country's leading education trusts. If you are an accomplished payroll professional who enjoys leading change, driving operational excellence and delivering meaningful improvements, we would be delighted to hear from you.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Payroll Delivery and Provider Management: Manage the relationship with our outsourced payroll provider, ensuring an effective, accurate and timely payroll process month on month. Manage the interface between the payroll system and the main accounting system, ensuring financial integrity — including monitoring, reconciling and reporting information to relevant bodies.
• Compliance and Statutory Reporting: Ensure full compliance with statutory requirements for PAYE and pension schemes, including accurate and timely reporting via Real Time Information and pension scheme returns. Stay ahead of complex and changing regulations, anticipating the implications of new legislation and determining the best way to implement changes, so colleagues always receive correct, up-to-date advice.
• Systems and Continuous Improvement: Lead the development and enhancement of payroll and pensions system processes to drive an efficient, effective service. Manage projects and continuous improvement activity across the function, keeping stakeholders informed throughout.
• Team Leadership: Support and develop team members, building knowledge and skills across the team to continuously improve the service provided.
• Communication and Stakeholder Management: Proactively communicate payroll and pensions information across Harris, so colleagues are informed, up to date and empowered to make decisions about their pay and pensions.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• A CIPP qualification and are a current active member of the CIPP
• Experience with Oracle Fusion payroll software
• A proven track record of managing a highly effective Payroll and/or Pension function to include a working knowledge of statutory requirements affecting PAYE, Defined Benefits Pension schemes and benefit structure TPS and/or LGPS pension scheme knowledge
• Sound knowledge of ERP system software
• A strong understanding of manual and computerised payroll systems and principles
• The ability to prioritise workloads effectively, balancing conflicting deadlines and achieving results and deliverables within fixed timescales

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation. Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date. When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application. A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed. We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice: The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities: The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level. You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans
• For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.