Payroll Assistant in Manchester

In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family‑friendly environment and much more.

The Payroll Assistant will support the SKA Observatory (SKAO) Payroll Accountant to ensure that employees are paid accurately and on time, and that SKAO meets its legal and regulatory requirements pertaining to payroll. This role will be focused on the payroll in SKAO’s Headquarters country (UK) but has the potential to offer the opportunity to gain experience of payroll in our two host countries (Australia and South Africa). The SKAO payroll in each country continues to grow; current employee numbers are approximately 220 across the three locations, with the UK payroll being the largest with approximately 170 employees. All employees are paid on a monthly salary basis. Previous payroll experience is not essential. If required, SKAO will provide training to the successful candidate at the start of their employment, with ongoing development opportunities available thereafter. This role would therefore suit a candidate who is eager to learn and has a strong interest in developing their skills and knowledge in payroll processing.

The role will work closely with the SKAO HR and Finance teams, as well as with our outsourced payroll providers to prepare and review the payroll calculations for the UK, to post the related accounting journals and to perform balance sheet reconciliations for payroll and employee benefits. The Payroll Assistant will also be responsible for calculations relating to employee benefits, calculating, tracking and monitoring annual allowances, and acting as one of SKAO’s administrators for supplier portals for employee benefits. SKAO’s status as an international organisation adds some interesting nuances to our payroll set up, and the ideal candidate will need to be able to think creatively as well as applying their previous or newly‑learned payroll knowledge and experience.

The Payroll Assistant needs to be an enthusiastic team player, able to learn new concepts quickly, a great communicator with strong attention to detail and the ability to work to strict deadlines. The role is based at the SKAO Headquarters at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, UK. We welcome applications from candidates of all nationalities, especially those from member countries. However, for this role, relocation support will not be available and applicants must be able to comply with the terms of a UK based local contract, details of which may be accessed on SKAO’s recruitment portal. SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory. This role requires the post holder to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.

Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties

• Prepare monthly payroll template for submission to outsourced payroll provider for the UK;
• Support the Payroll Accountant with payroll submissions for Australia (AU) and South Africa (ZA) as required;
• Support HR with obtaining missing payroll information or documents from employees;
• Calculate private medical insurance (PMI) benefit amount and maintain the monthly reconciliation of the PMI control account;
• Calculate and administer annual employee allowances and reconciliation of monthly payments through payroll;
• Calculate tax and national insurance where needed and submit to payroll provider(s);
• Review payroll reports from payroll providers and resolve queries ready for final approval;
• Calculation of monthly pension contributions for UK employees;
• Administration of local and international pension schemes including notifications of new starters and leavers;
• Liaise with accounts payable to set up monthly bank payments of employees' net pay, taxes, pensions and other payroll benefits as required;
• Prepare and post monthly payroll journals to all ledgers including intercompany transactions;
• Prepare and manage monthly balance sheet reconciliations related to payroll accounts (e.g. net pay control, HMRC control, pension control, PMI control);
• Complete annual payroll reporting obligations for the UK, with the support of the Payroll Accountant and local Finance Manager e.g. P60, P11d;
• Other payroll administration tasks as required;
• Undertake any other reasonable duties, as directed by the Payroll Accountant, Group Financial Controller or the CFO.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and demonstrable experience of using pivot tables and formula such as vlookup, sumifs;
• Strong attention to detail, both in preparing own work and reviewing work of others to ensure a high standard of accuracy;
• A self‑motivated problem solver with ability to prioritise tasks and work to deadlines, managing projects through to completion;
• Strong ethics, with an ability to manage confidential data;
• Excellent organisational skills;
• Effective written and spoken communication skills in English.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable experience as a Payroll Administrator for UK employees, or in a similar role;
• Experience in processing payroll for Australia or South Africa located employees;
• Relevant vocational or technical training, or able to demonstrate strong understanding of payroll legislation and calculations;
• Ability to manually calculate a payslip for UK payroll;
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP);
• Experience communicating with HMRC, or the Australian Tax Office or South Africa Revenue Service in relation to employee tax or benefits queries;
• Experience with inter‑company payroll transactions.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory’s agenda. Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background. Women have traditionally been under‑represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants. Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided. SKA Observatory welcomes all candidates, especially those from member countries.