Payroll Business Partner

Cornerstone; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working opportunities

Professional development

Supportive environment

Meaningful role

Job summary

Cornerstone is seeking two Payroll Business Partners to join its finance team in Scotland. You’ll deliver accurate, compliant payroll for ~1,800 colleagues, coaching others and driving improvements across processes.

Based in Glasgow, Dundee or Aberdeen or hybrid with 2 days weekly in office, you’ll collaborate with Finance, HR and Operations to strengthen controls and deliver timely payroll services.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering payroll and pension services in large/complex organisations.
• Detailed, up-to-date knowledge of UK payroll legislation (PAYE, RTI, NIC, IR35, auto-enrolment).
• Experience with complex payroll calculations and retrospective adjustments.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations, month-end reporting and payroll controls.
• Advanced Excel skills for manipulating and validating payroll data.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail.
• Excellent organisation, communication and stakeholder relationship skills.
• Confidence delivering training to colleagues with varying payroll knowledge.
• Degree or CIPP/IPPM equivalent qualification or extensive experience.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end monthly payroll delivery, including deductions and statutory submissions.
• Review and validate payroll data from multiple sources for accuracy and authorization.
• Investigate and resolve complex payroll queries with sound judgement.
• Analyse payroll data to identify discrepancies, trends and improvement opportunities.
• Coach payroll colleagues and stakeholders to build capability and consistency.
• Review and improve payroll procedures to increase efficiency and reduce risk.
• Support system testing, upgrades and change initiatives.
• Complete payroll and pension reconciliations, period-end and month-end activities.
• Collaborate with HMRC, pension providers and other bodies as required.

Skills

Payroll expertise

UK payroll laws

Complex payroll calculations

Payroll reconciliations

Advanced Excel

Analytical skills

Communication

Training delivery

Education

Degree or CIPP/IPPM equivalent

Job description

Join a payroll team that makes a real difference!

At Cornerstone, we're committed to ensuring the people we support can live the life they choose. Behind every great support service is a dedicated team of professionals who help our organisation to operate effectively and efficiently.

We're looking for two new Payroll Business Partners to join our finance team. This is an opportunity for a senior payroll professional who enjoys solving complex challenges, using data to drive improvement and helping others build their knowledge and capability.

Working with our Payroll Lead, you'll play a key role in delivering an accurate, compliant and person-centred payroll service for approximately 1,800 colleagues.

These roles can be based in our Glasgow, Dundee or Aberdeen office, or part of our hybrid working model where a minimum of 2 days per week would be spent in one of these office locations.

About The Role

As one of our Payroll Business Partners, you'll be a senior point of contact for payroll queries and escalations. You'll help ensure that colleagues are paid accurately and on time, while maintaining compliance with relevant legislation and internal deadlines.

You’ll work across Finance, HR and Operations to improve payroll processes, strengthen controls and provide useful insight through payroll and workforce data analysis.

You’ll have the opportunity to analyse data, spot trends and risks, improve processes, strengthen controls and share your knowledge with others. You’ll also play an important role in coaching and developing colleagues, helping to build confidence and payroll knowledge across the organisation.

What You'll Do

• Support the end-to-end delivery of the monthly payroll cycle, including deductions, statutory obligations and submissions
• Review, validate and manipulate payroll data from multiple sources, ensuring information is complete, accurate and appropriately authorised
• Investigate and resolve complex payroll queries, applying technical knowledge and sound judgement
• Analyse payroll and workforce data to identify discrepancies, trends, risks and opportunities for improvement
• Coach and train payroll colleagues and operational stakeholders, building capacity and consistency
• Review and improve payroll procedures, controls and working practices to increase efficiency and reduce risk
• Support system testing, upgrades and change initiatives
• Complete payroll and pension reconciliations, period-end activities, month-end reporting and statutory submissions
• Work with HMRC, pension providers and other authorised bodies when required

What You'll Bring

You’ll be a highly skilled payroll professional who combines technical expertise with a practical, person-centred and continuous improvement mindset.

Essential Skills And Experience

• Extensive experience of delivering a comprehensive and compliant payroll and pension service in a large or complex organisation
• Detailed, up-to-date knowledge of UK payroll legislation, including PAYE, RTI, NIC, IR35, pensions and auto-enrolment
• Experience of complex payroll calculations, including retrospective adjustments
• Experience of payroll reconciliations, month-end reporting and payroll controls
• Advanced Excel skills and confidence manipulating, validating and interpreting payroll data
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to see the bigger picture
• Excellent organisation, communication and relationship-building skills
• Confidence delivering training to colleagues and stakeholders with different levels of payroll knowledge
• A degree, CIPP/IPPM equivalent qualification or extensive experience in a comparable role

It would be great if you also have

• Experience in social care, the charity sector or wider third sector
• Experience of integrated HR and payroll systems, including system implementation, upgrades or remediation
• Experience of ongoing professional development

Why Cornerstone

Cornerstone is one of Scotland's largest charities with over 45 years' experience providing great care and support for adults with various support needs across Scotland.

You’ll join an organisation that values its people and is passionate about delivering high-quality support. Our values of being caring, person-centred, professional and pioneering guide how we work.

This role offers the opportunity to shape and improve essential organisational service, share your expertise and contribute to a collaborative, solution focused culture.

What We Offer

• A meaningful role with one of Scotland's leading charities
• Flexible working opportunities
• Ongoing professional development and training
• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• The opportunity to help shape and improve key organisational processes
• A comprehensive employee benefits package

Have any questions? Please contact Lynn Wallace, our Director of Finance at

The successful candidates will be subject to a Level 2 Disclosure check through Disclosure Scotland.

There will be occasional travel across our branches (travel expenses would be reimbursed as set out in Cornerstone's expense policy with travel reimbursed by HMRC legislation).