Finance Professional

Colbern Limited; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible & hybrid work

Generous annual leave

LGPS

Learning & development

Wellbeing support

Career progression

Job summary

Colbern Limited in London (UK) is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead a payroll team and deliver high-quality payroll and pensions services. You will manage end-to-end payroll processes, ensure regulatory compliance, and work with HR, Finance, Pensions, and external providers to support organisational performance.

The role requires strong leadership, process improvement, and a proactive approach to automation and service delivery, within a flexible yet hybrid working environment.

Qualifications

• CIPP qualification or extensive end-to-end payroll leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation, pensions and reporting.
• Experience leading payroll teams in large, complex organisations.
• Experience with Oracle Payroll or equivalent enterprise payroll system.
• Knowledge of Local Government and/or Teachers' Pension schemes.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and reconciling skills.
• Proven track record of service improvements and change initiatives.
• Outstanding stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing payroll team with focus on accuracy and service.
• Ensure timely, compliant delivery of monthly payroll services.
• Act as senior escalation point for complex payroll and pension queries.
• Drive service excellence through performance management and QA.
• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing via Oracle Payroll.
• Manage HMRC submissions and all statutory reporting needs.
• Lead year-end activities including P60s and P11Ds and related processes.
• Administer Local Government and Teachers' Pension schemes accurately.
• Manage payments, reconciliations, deductions, and pay-related controls.
• Ensure compliance with NMW/Living Wage and legislative requirements.
• Lead payroll improvements, review processes and controls for efficiency.
• Support workforce transformation and service modernisation programmes.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve experience.
• Contribute to future design and delivery of payroll services.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders and providers.
• Produce meaningful payroll reporting, analysis and insights.
• Ensure a responsive, reliable, and customer-focused service.

Skills

Payroll legislation knowledge

Leadership & coaching

Pensions knowledge

Analytical & reconciliation

Stakeholder management

Service improvements & change

Education

CIPP qualification

Tools

Oracle Payroll

Job description

Payroll Manager

Walthamstow

Permanent

£54,267 to £57,402 per annum

Our client is looking for an experienced Payroll Manager

As the Payroll Manager, you will lead a dedicated team responsible for delivering a high-quality payroll and pensions service that supports employees throughout their employment journey.

You will oversee the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements while delivering an efficient, customer-focused service. Working closely with senior leaders, HR, Finance, Pensions and external providers, you will build strong relationships that enable seamless service delivery and support organisational performance.

The successful candidate will be equally comfortable managing operational delivery, leading people, driving continuous improvement and influencing strategic change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing Payroll team, creating a culture of accountability, customer focus and continuous improvement.
• Ensure the accurate, timely and compliant delivery of monthly payroll services.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex payroll and pension enquiries.
• Drive service excellence through effective performance management and quality assurance.
• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing through Oracle Payroll.
• Manage HMRC submissions and all statutory reporting requirements.
• Lead year-end activities, including P60s, P11Ds and associated compliance processes.
• Ensure accurate administration of Local Government and Teachers' Pension schemes.
• Manage BACS payments, payroll reconciliations, deductions, salary sacrifice arrangements, overpayments and court orders.
• Ensure compliance with National Minimum Wage, Living Wage and wider legislative requirements.
• Lead payroll improvement initiatives, reviewing processes and controls to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Support wider workforce transformation and service modernisation programmes.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve the employee experience.
• Contribute to the future design and delivery of payroll services across the organisation.
• Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders, external providers and partner organisations.
• Produce meaningful payroll reporting, analysis and insight.
• Ensure stakeholders receive a responsive, reliable and customer-focused service.

Essential Criteria

• CIPP Qualification or extensive experience managing an end-to-end payroll function within a large and complex organisation.
• Strong technical knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation, pensions and statutory reporting requirements.
• Experience of leading, coaching and developing payroll teams.
• Significant experience using Oracle Payroll or a comparable enterprise payroll system.
• Knowledge of Local Government and/or Teachers' Pension schemes.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and reconciliation skills.
• Experience of leading service improvements and change initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience within Local & Central Government. Other public sector organisations and private sector complex organisations experience are also welcomed.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to lead a critical service within one of London's most ambitious boroughs. You'll have the chance to work in a fantastic team and influence how payroll services are delivered, with the sole aim about making a difference to our residents.

In return, we offer:

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Learning and development opportunities
• Employee wellbeing support
• Career progression opportunities within a forward-thinking organisation

Colbern Limited along with our clients are an equal opportunities employer