The posting
Are you highly organised, detail-focused, and looking for a new challenge in payroll administration? Thrive Education Partnership is seeking a Payroll Officer to join our team.
In this vital role, you will ensure our staff are paid accurately and on time, maintain confidential payroll records, and support the smooth running of our school’s payroll processes. You’ll work closely with our HR and finance teams, handle payroll queries, and help us maintain the highest standards of compliance and data protection.
This post is offered on a full-time basis (36.5 hours per week), with part-time hours considered for the right candidate.
We’re looking for someone with experience in payroll administration, excellent IT skills, and a commitment to confidentiality and accuracy. Experience in an educational setting and knowledge of payroll systems is desirable.
If you’re ready to make a difference and contribute to our supportive team, we’d love to hear from you!
Thrive Education Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to all necessary pre-employment checks, including: an enhanced DBS; Prohibition check; Childcare Disqualification (where applicable); qualifications (where applicable); social media check; medical fitness; identity and right to work. If you are invited to attend an interview you will be required to declare any cautions/convictions.
This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent and spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.
Job Description
Main Purpose of the Role:
To provide an efficient and confidential payroll service to Thrive Education Partnership, ensuring that all staff are paid accurately and on time, in accordance with current legislation and school policies.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and coordinate the Trust's monthly payroll cycle across its academies, ensuring schools and managers submit accurate information within agreed deadlines.
- Act as the principal operational contact between the Trust and payroll platform for payroll processing and associated services, working with internal stakeholders to resolve issues.
- Prepare and process monthly payroll information, including joiners, leavers, contractual changes, salary increments and allowances such as TLRs, SEN allowances and honoraria.
- Calculate and administer overtime, additional hours and variable pay in accordance with Trust policy and working time regulations.
- Manage statutory payments and deductions, including PAYE, National Insurance, student loans, court orders and attachments of earnings, statutory sick and family-related pay, and childcare vouchers or salary sacrifice arrangements where applicable.
- Develop and maintain payroll assurance processes, including verification, quality checks and reconciliation of payroll reports to finance ledgers.
- Coordinate payroll year-end activities and review relevant reports and information, including P60s and P11Ds where applicable.
- Provide clear advice and resolve payroll queries from employees, managers and authorised colleagues in a professional, timely and confidential manner.
Pensions Administration
- Coordinate and oversee payroll-related administration of the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), including entries, exits, service changes and correct pensionable pay calculations.
- Ensure pension contributions, deductions and monthly and annual returns are accurate, compliant and completed within required timescales.
- Act as the Trust's principal contact for payroll-related pension enquiries, liaising with pension funds and providers on queries, opt-outs, auto-enrolment assessments and remedy updates where applicable.
- Support pension reconciliations and audits, resolve discrepancies and ensure compliance with pension scheme rules and legislation.
- Support completion of the End of Year Teacher Pension Certificate (EOYC).
Payroll and Workforce Reporting
- Produce accurate, timely payroll and workforce management reports for the Executive Team.
- Prepare payroll and workforce information for statutory returns, audits, benchmarking exercises, funding requirements and external reporting.
- Support Finance colleagues and budget holders by providing accurate staffing and payroll cost information.
- Produce salary calculations, staffing cost models and workforce planning information for recruitment, restructures and contractual changes.
Systems and Compliance
- Act as the operational lead for payroll-related functionality within the payroll system.
- Maintain accurate, complete employee, payroll and workforce data, relevant personnel files and audit trails in accordance with agreed processes and statutory, audit, data protection and Trust requirements.
- Ensure payroll processes comply with relevant legislation, Trust policies and procedures, and HMRC requirements, including Real Time Information (RTI) submissions.
- Review and improve payroll, pension, data quality and reporting processes on an ongoing basis.
- Maintain the confidentiality and security of personal, payroll, pension and financial information.
Person Specification:
Qualifications and training
- GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths
- Payroll-related qualification (e.g. CIPP, AAT) desirable
- Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to payroll or finance
Experience
- Experience of processing payroll, ideally in an educational or public sector setting
- Experience of using payroll and finance systems
- Experience of maintaining accurate records and handling confidential information
Skills and knowledge
- Good knowledge of payroll procedures and relevant legislation (PAYE, NI, pensions)
- Excellent IT skills, including MS Excel and payroll software
- Strong organisational and time-management skills
- Ability to analyse and interpret financial data
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Understanding of safeguarding and data protection requirements
Personal qualities
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Professional, approachable and able to work as part of a team
- Commitment to upholding the ethos and values of Thrive Education Partnership
- Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
- Discretion and commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion
