Payroll Officer
Department: Resources – Finance
Grade: SO2
Working Arrangement: Hybrid – approximately 2–3 days per week in the office
Job Overview
We are currently recruiting for a Payroll Officer to join a busy local authority payroll team, supporting the delivery of an accurate, efficient and customer-focused payroll service.
The team is responsible for processing payroll for approximately 2,920 school employees, 3,200 council employees and 200 external school staff.
Reporting to the Payroll Team Leader, you will be responsible for the day-to-day administration and processing of payroll, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time in line with HMRC legislation, statutory requirements and Council policies.
You will also act as a key point of contact for employees, managers, schools and external organisations, providing payroll advice and resolving queries.
Key Responsibilities
- Administer statutory and contractual maternity pay.
- Calculate and process statutory and contractual sick pay, liaising with managers and HR officers to ensure compliance with regulations.
- Process National Insurance-related benefits.
- Calculate and administer Payment in Lieu of Notice (PILON).
- Process annual pay awards and employee increments.
- Calculate and process manual payroll payments and adjustments.
- Respond to payroll enquiries from employees, managers, schools and external organisations.
- Investigate and resolve payroll queries, including more complex issues, within agreed service targets.
- Ensure payroll calculations and transactions comply with PAYE, HMRC regulations and relevant legislation.
- Maintain accurate payroll records and support the smooth operation of the Oracle payroll system.
Essential Skills and Experience
- Previous experience working in a Payroll Administrator or Payroll Officer position within a customer-focused organisation.
- Good knowledge of payroll administration procedures and systems.
- Strong understanding of PAYE, HMRC regulations and associated payroll legislation.
- Experience calculating payroll payments, tax, National Insurance and pension deductions.
- Experience using payroll IT systems, ideally within a public sector or local authority environment.
- Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills, with the ability to deal with employees, managers and external organisations.
- Ability to investigate and resolve complex payroll enquiries.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work to strict payroll deadlines.
Qualifications
An appropriate professional payroll qualification or significant practical experience working within a payroll department in a customer-focused organisation.
Working Arrangements
This is a hybrid position, with approximately 2–3 days per week required in the office.
Payroll Officer – AR employer: London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a supportive and collaborative work culture that prioritises the well-being and professional growth of its employees. With a focus on driving practice excellence in Children’s Social Care, staff are provided with ample opportunities for development through training and multi-agency collaboration, all while contributing to meaningful outcomes for the community. Located in vibrant London, employees enjoy a dynamic environment that encourages innovation and engagement.
