Payroll Assistant

scottishwater; Inverness; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

38 days holiday incl. holidays

Volunteer leave

Pension

Life assurance

Company bonus scheme

Hybrid working

Job summary

Scottish Water is hiring a Payroll Assistant in Inverness to help process salaries for about 5,000 employees monthly, plus overtime and expense claims. You’ll work within the Payroll Team to meet strict deadlines, resolve payroll variances, and respond to employee queries with a high standard of service.

The role supports a balanced hybrid model based in Inverness, with training upfront and opportunities to develop payroll expertise within a trusted Scottish employer.

Qualifications

• No prior payroll experience required; full training provided.
• Understanding of statutory payroll legislation and LGPS regulations.
• Numerically confident with good Excel knowledge.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Analytical abilities with a keen eye for detail.
• Strong organisational and multitasking skills under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Process salaries for around 5,000 employees monthly and ~13,000 overtime/expense claims annually, accurately and on time.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC legislation, Scottish Water policies, and pension regulations.
• Respond to employee salary/payroll queries with professional, efficient service.

Skills

Payroll basics

Excel

Customer service

Analytical

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Communication

Job description

Overview

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland. How's this for job satisfaction? At Scottish Water, we look after Scotland's most precious natural resource. From source to tap, we're safeguarding Scotland's reputation for refreshingly pure water and caring for our environment at the same time. If making a positive difference to people, communities and the environment sounds like something you'd enjoy, we'd love to hear from you

What you'll do

As a Payroll Assistant, you will play a key role in ensuring that salaries for approximately 5,000 employees each month, along with around 13,000 overtime and expense claims annually, are processed accurately, on time, and in full compliance with HMRC statutory legislation, Scottish Water policies, and pension regulations. Working as part of the Payroll Team, you will help deliver a high-quality payroll service by adhering to strict deadlines, analysing pay variances, and identifying, investigating, and resolving payroll anomalies before payments are made. You will also provide excellent customer service by responding to employee queries relating to salary payments and payroll matters, ensuring issues are handled professionally and efficiently.

What you'll need

• While previous payroll experience would be beneficial, it is not essential as full training can be provided. We encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every requirement but are eager to learn and develop their skills.
• Ideally, you will have an understanding of current statutory payroll legislation and regulations, including knowledge of Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) regulations.
• You will be numerically confident with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• You will possess strong customer service and communication skills.
• You will have excellent analytical abilities with a keen eye for detail.
• Strong organisational and multitasking skills are essential, along with the ability to work accurately and effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment.

Looking out for you

• 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays). You can even buy five more if you need a little extra time.
• Paid time off to volunteer in your community.
• Family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave.
• Flexible working.
• Pension (the 'know-what-you'll-get-when-you-retire' kind).
• Life assurance.
• Company bonus scheme.
• Access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.
• Balanced Hybrid working at Scottish Water: work half your time in a Scottish Water location; during training you'll attend more frequently.

The not-so-small print

This role will be a Grade 4. Starting salary £31,640, with performance-driven pay progression that could take you to a maximum of £36,460.

Location and Working Arrangements

The Payroll Team is based in Inverness. We operate a balanced hybrid model requiring half your time in a Scottish Water location. Initially, while undertaking training, you would be required to attend more frequently.

Pre-employment Screening

Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional, and will be confirmed on completion of our pre-employment screening, e.g. referencing, criminal record checks, license checks, etc. Screening is conducted on our behalf by a third party, and must be completed before your start date. Don't worry — we'll only start these checks once you've accepted an offer.

Accessibility and Support

We want to help you perform at your best. Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We're also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We're very used to making adjustments, so please don't be afraid to ask.

Eligibility

As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it's important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don't already live here