Payroll and HR Officer (Maternity Cover)

Confidential; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free car park

Free refreshments and lunches during –

Free annual flu vaccination

Access to school facilities

Cultural, musical and sporting talks

Staff social activities

Defined contribution pension

Job summary

Confidential in London is seeking a Payroll and HR Officer (Maternity Cover) to manage end-to-end payroll for around 300 staff, liaising with an outsourced provider and the SAM People HRIS. You will also contribute to general HR administration, salary reviews and staff communications.

The role requires CIPD/CIPD-equivalent qualification, strong Excel skills, and experience with HRIS and payroll compliance. 15-month contract with full-time hours from 08:00–17:00, Monday to Friday.

Qualifications

• End-to-end payroll experience with PAYE, NI, pension
• CIPD/CIPD qualification or part-qualified
• Experience with HR systems and data protection
• Strong administration and organisational skills
• Excellent customer service with multitasking
• Meticulous with high attention to detail
• Understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding
• Proficient with Excel and MS Office
• Willing to undergo DBS checks
• Willing to learn and develop

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll operation for staff and liaise with outsourced payroll provider
• Process PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments and pension administration
• Prepare payroll reconciliations and reporting
• Respond to payroll/pension queries and provide guidance
• Contribute to annual salary review process and letters
• Support general HR admin and maintain employee records
• Assist with references and employment/contract amendments

Skills

End-to-end payroll processing

Payroll software operations

HRIS familiarity

Data protection & confidentiality

Analytical skills

Excel proficiency

Customer service

Time management

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Discretion with sensitive information

Education

CIPD qualification or equivalent

Tools

SIMS

SAMPeople

HRIS

Job description

Job Title: Payroll and HR Officer (Maternity Cover)

Location: Barnes, South-west London

Salary: Salary commensurate on qualifications and experience

Job Type: Full Time, 15 Month Contract (Maternity Cover)

Working days and hours: This is a full-time, year-round role. Full-time working hours are Mondays to Fridays from 08h 00 - 17h 00 including 60 minutes unpaid for lunch and breaks.

Starting Date: 2 November 2026

About the Role:

The Human Resources function at Harrodian covers all aspects of people management including payroll and pension administration, recruitment, safeguarding, conditions of employment, performance management and employee relations.

This 15-month maternity cover will provide a superb opportunity for a Payroll and HR professional to build on their experience and develop their career within the education sector. Harrodian is an exciting and supportive environment in which to work and our small on-site HR team provides trusted specialist advice across the school.

This is a varied and responsible role managing the end-to-end payroll operation for approximately 300 permanent and casual staff, working with the school's outsourced payroll provider and SAM People integrated HR system. Reporting to the Head of HR, the successful candidate will oversee all aspects of payroll administration, including PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments, payroll reconciliations and reporting, and pension administration. They will ensure payroll is accurate, timely and compliant. They will respond to payroll and pension queries from staff and provide knowledgeable guidance on payroll and pension matters to colleagues and senior leaders. In addition, they will contribute to the annual salary review process and administer the annual salary review letters.

Alongside the monthly payroll cycle, they will contribute to the generalist HR provision across the school, assisting with the smooth running of general HR processes and administration on a day-to-day basis, including maintaining employee records, providing references, supporting the preparation of employment and contract amendments.

About you:

• Extensive experience of end-to-end payroll processing and software operations;
• CIPP or CIPD qualified or part-qualified (or equivalent from a reputable institution);
• Sound knowledge and experience of using and maintaining HR Systems;
• Proven administration and organisation skills;
• Proven ability to thrive on providing exceptional customer service whilst delivering on a varied and always busy workload;
• Meticulous and accurate with an exceptionally high attention to detail;
• Full understanding of employee confidentiality and data protection with the appropriate handling of sensitive information;
• Strong analytical ability, sound judgement and clear communication;
• Good understanding of Microsoft Office packages, particularly proficiency in Excel with the ability to confidently manipulate data;
• Good time management with the ability to work under pressure and prioritise as necessary;
• Flexible and adaptable in approach to work, with the ability to multi-task;
• Demonstrate a "can do" attitude;
• Willing to learn, develop and improve;
• Willing to undergo an Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List check, overseas police check (where applicable) and appropriate Safeguarding and Prevent training.

Desirable skills and qualifications:

• Experience of SIMS and SAMPeople or other HRIS;
• Knowledge of Payroll and/or HR within a school or educational environment;
• Safeguarding and Child Protection awareness (although full training will be given in the area of Safeguarding and Child Protection and Safer Recruitment).

Holidays:

The post-holder is entitled to Administration Team holidays, which are 35 days per annum plus Bank Holidays. Annual leave must be taken during School holidays. A timetable is published annually.

Benefits:

• A free car park (on a first come first served basis)
• Free refreshments and free lunches during term time
• A free annual flu vaccination
• Free access to some of the school's sport and leisure facilities at stipulated times
• Access to an ongoing cycle of cultural, musical, theatrical and sporting talks and events
• Regular staff social activities such as book club, staff choir and staff pilates
• Access to a well-stocked school library, and a defined contribution pension scheme.

Candidates with the experience or relevant job titles of; Payroll, Payroll Officer, Payroll Assistant, HR Advisor, HR Generalist, HR Officer, HR Assistant, HR Coordinator may also be considered for this role.