Deputy Payroll & Pension Manager

Midwifery at the University; Frenchay; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Progressive pay rates

Generous annual leave

Career average pension

Retail savings

Onsite nursery

Training & development opportunities

Job summary

UWE Bristol is recruiting a Deputy Payroll & Pension Manager within our People Services function, based at Frenchay Campus. This full-time fixed-term role for 12 months supports the payroll and pensions service and deputises for the Manager when required.

The role leads a team of 3 Officers, delivering compliant payroll processes for 5,000+ staff, with opportunities to work from home part of the week as part of our hybrid approach.

Qualifications

• Experience in payroll administration within a large organisation.
• Good working knowledge of public sector pension schemes (TPS and LGPS).
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Deliver an effective payroll and pensions service.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Provide specialist payroll and pension advice and resolve queries timely.
• Lead and develop the Payroll & Pensions Team to deliver high-quality service and drive improvements.

Skills

Payroll management

Pensions administration

Excel

Microsoft 365

Tools

MHR iTrent

Excel

Microsoft 365

Job description

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Support during the application process: If you’re a person with a disability, if you're neurodivergent, or if you have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our selection process, we’ll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to our processes for you. You’ll have the opportunity to let us know about any adjustments you may need throughout the application and selection process. We’ll continue this conversation if you join us as an employee, and we’ll work with you to make sure you have the adjustments you need to succeed in your role.

Examples of adjustments could include:

• Extra time for online assessments.
• Providing alternative accessible formats.
• Interview questions in advance of the interview.
• Providing some extra information about what to expect.
• Office orientation before an in-person assessment.

Job profile for Deputy Payroll & Pension Manager

Deputy Payroll & Pension Manager

Frenchay Campus 27/09/2026 Deputy Payroll & Pension Manager

Job details

Salary £38,784 - £46,049

Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time

Region Temporary - Full time

Job Type Administrative

Job reference R09699

Attachments attachment R09699 - Job Description - FTC Deputy Payroll and Pensions Manager.pdf

Job description

About this role

Working within our People Services function, you will join a busy, supportive team operating in a fast-paced environment. This is a full-time fixed-term opportunity for an initial 12-months. The appointment may be extended or concluded earlier depending on the return of the substantive postholder.

The purpose of this role is to support the delivery of an effective, efficient and compliant payroll and pensions service. This includes providing specialist payroll and pensions advice, leading policy, process and system development, and deputising for the Payroll & Pensions Manager during periods of absence.

The Payroll and Pensions Team consists of eight colleagues and processes payroll for over 5,000 employees each month through our HR and Payroll system, MHR iTrent. You will directly manage 3 Payroll and Pensions Officers who play a key role in ensuring the delivery of a seamless, proactive and customer-focused service.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring delivery of an effective and efficient payroll and pensions service.
• Ensuring compliance with all statutory, regulatory and legislative payroll and pension requirements.
• Providing specialist advice on complex payroll and pension matters and ensuring queries are resolved accurately and in a timely manner.
• Supporting and developing the Payroll & Pensions Team to deliver a high-quality service and an excellent customer experience.
• Leading and contributing to service improvement initiatives, projects and process developments to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.

UWE Bristol is a friendly and inclusive place to work, offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience, together with an excellent range of employee benefits.

About you

You will be an experienced payroll professional with a proven track record of working in a large, complex organisation. You will possess excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities whilst maintaining high levels of accuracy.

You will have significant experience across all aspects of payroll administration and compliance, supported by a good working knowledge of public sector pension schemes, including the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

You will be confident using Microsoft 365 applications, including intermediate-level Excel skills, and will have a thorough understanding of HMRC legislation, payroll regulations and statutory requirements. You will also be able to communicate complex payroll and pension matters clearly and effectively to a range of stakeholders.

Where you will be working

UWE Bristol is a campus-based University, with vibrant campus communities that are central to student life.

In this role, you’ll be based at our modern Frenchay Campus where we’ve invested in state‑of‑the‑art facilities designed to help both staff and students succeed.

You’ll spend most of your time on campus, typically 3 days per week, with the opportunity to work from home on the remaining days.

Why UWE Bristol?

We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in vibrant Bristol , our ambitions are to make a positive difference to our planet, transforming futures through actions and solving real world challenges.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits including progressive pay rates, very generous annual leave and career average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.

Add your individuality to ours

UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community .

We’re part of a vibrant, multicultural city and welcome talented people from all backgrounds. Diversity is our strength, enhancing creativity, decision‑making, and problem‑solving. Join our supportive community and thrive.

We particularly encourage applications from global majority candidates as we are currently under‑represented in this area, however all appointments are made strictly on individual merit.

As a Disability Confident employer, we encourage applications from disabled or neurodivergent candidates.

Further information

If you would like to speak to us to find out more about this role, please contact Tracy Humphrey on 0117 32 87941 or email: [e-mail]

Interviews are scheduled to take place at our Frenchay Campus on 16 October 2026.

Shortlisting is expected to be completed within 1 week of the closing date depending on application volumes. We aim to give candidates at least a week's notice to attend interview.

This is a full-time, working 37 hours per week, fixed‑term post for an initial 12-months. The appointment may be extended or concluded earlier depending on the return of the substantive postholder.

Salary offers are made in line with the University’s salary assessment guidelines, reflecting your relevant skills and experience in parity with colleagues.

Right to Work in the UK

If offered a role, you will need to provide valid documentation confirming your right to work in the UK before employment begins. Guidance on acceptable documents is available via the Home Office Right to Work Checklist .