Financial Accountant

Our client, a distinguished leader in the education sector, is renowned for its dedication to excellence and innovation. With ambitious plans for significant operational expansion and rapid growth, they are seeking a skilled Payroll Manager to oversee and optimise their payroll operations.

In this role, you will be on a 6-month fixed term contract to assist with the management of the payroll function and specifically to facilitate a smooth transition to a new software system. You will manage the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring timely and accurate salary processing for a growing workforce.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborating closely with the People and Payroll Systems Project Manager to ensure smooth integration with a new Payroll and HR system, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
• Supporting the testing and specification process for the payroll side of the new system.
• Taking ownership of data accuracy in the current payroll system, resolving issues, and implementing measures to prevent future discrepancies.
• Developing and maintaining positive relationships with pension schemes such as Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), and Peoples’ Pension Fund.
• Conducting data cleansing for all pension schemes in preparation for the transition to the new system.
• Reconciling monthly MCR submissions and preparing for the transition to i-Connect for LGPS submissions.
• Accurately monitoring and reconciling staff movements between pension schemes each month.
• Preparing and ensuring accurate annual returns and pension reconciliations, including End of Year Certificates.
• Ensuring compliance with HMRC regulations, including Real-Time Information (RTI) submissions and annual year-end returns.
• Collaborating with Finance to ensure the timely completion of monthly reconciliations for reporting and budgetary control.
• Managing and providing direction to a team of payroll officers, ensuring their work is conducted efficiently and conducting regular meetings.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Relevant Payroll qualifications.
• GCSE or equivalent in Maths and English (Level 2).
• Proven experience as a Payroll Manager or Supervisor.
• Strong technical expertise in pension schemes, particularly TPS, LGPS, and other similar schemes.
• Experience within the education or public sector (desirable).
• Excellent IT skills with experience in payroll systems such as Agresso (Unit 4) or similar software.
• A strong understanding of payroll legislation and compliance, including Real-Time Information (RTI) and year-end returns.
• Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Experience in managing or supervising payroll teams is advantageous.