At a Glance
- Tasks: Support accurate payroll services and resolve queries for staff and departments.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at Lambeth Town Hall, committed to excellence.
- Benefits: Competitive pay rate, hybrid working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on equality, diversity, and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time.
- Qualifications: Experience in payroll administration and strong knowledge of PAYE and HMRC regulations.
The predicted salary is between 23.51 - 23.51 £ per hour.
Position: Payroll Officer
Location: Lambeth Town Hall, 2 Brixton Hill, Brixton, SW2 1RW
Start Date: ASAP
Contract Duration: 5+ months, hybrid – office attendance required at least 2–3 days per week
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Pay Rate: PAYE: £23.51 per hour
Job Reference: OR
Job Responsibilities
- Support the delivery of an accurate, efficient and timely payroll service
- Ensure staff are paid correctly and in line with legislation, regulations and Council policies
- Act as a first point of contact for payroll queries from employees, schools, Council departments and external organisations
- Process payroll changes including starters, leavers, pay awards, increments and manual payments
- Administer statutory and contractual payments including maternity pay, sick pay (statutory and occupational), parental pay, NI‑related benefits and PILON
- Apply PAYE, National Insurance and pension regulations accurately
- Manage pension administration for schemes including Teachers' Pension, LGPS, NHSPS and auto‑enrolment
- Check and validate payroll data received from HR, schools and internal teams
- Identify and resolve payroll discrepancies and anomalies to reduce overpayments and errors
- Respond to and resolve service desk queries within agreed timescales
- Produce documentation for HMRC, the Contributions Agency and other statutory bodies
- Issue payslips, P45s, P60s and related correspondence
- Support financial reporting, audits and statutory returns (e.g. NFI)
- Provide clear, accurate advice on payroll matters including tax, NI, SSP, SPP and student loans
- Liaise with internal departments, external bodies and legal representatives when required
- Check colleague work to ensure accuracy and compliance
- Support continuous improvement of payroll processes and systems
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion across all payroll activities
- Carry out additional duties appropriate to the role and grade
Person Specification
Must‑Have Requirements
- Proven experience working in a payroll administrator role within a customer‑focused environment
- Strong knowledge of PAYE, HMRC regulations and payroll legislation
- Experience applying tax, National Insurance and pension rules within payroll processing
- Experience using payroll systems in a public sector or similar environment
- Ability to handle complex payroll queries and resolve issues effectively
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to manage workload under pressure and meet strict deadlines
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Good ICT skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel
- Ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Relevant payroll experience or equivalent professional qualification
Nice‑to‑Have Requirements
- Experience working within a local authority or public sector payroll environment
- Experience with Oracle payroll systems or similar platforms
- Experience delivering presentations or payroll support sessions
- Knowledge of multiple public sector terms and conditions (e.g. NJC, Teachers, Soulbury)
- Experience supporting system improvements or process development
We think you need these skills to ace Payroll Officer (SO2) in London
Payroll Administration
Knowledge of PAYE
HMRC Regulations
Payroll Legislation
Tax Processing
National Insurance Regulations
Pension Administration
