Payroll Lead (Team Leader)

TMP; Oldbury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A public service organization in Oldbury is seeking a Payroll Lead to oversee payroll operations, ensuring timely and accurate payments to employees while maintaining compliance with payroll legislation. You will support HR and Finance, manage complex payroll queries, and lead a small team. Ideal candidates have strong organizational skills and experience in payroll administration.

Qualifications

• Experience in payroll administration with up-to-date knowledge of payroll legislation and best practice.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Confidence handling complex queries and making operational decisions.

Responsibilities

• Ensure every colleague is paid accurately and on time.
• Act as the go-to expert for complex payroll queries.
• Work closely with HR and Finance to maintain compliance.

Skills

Payroll operations

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Customer service skills

Job description

Ready to work together and make a real difference? Join us as our Payroll Lead and help keep Sandwell Council running smoothly!

Are you ready to step up and make a real impact at the heart of Sandwell Council? Do you thrive on solving challenges, supporting your team, and making sure every detail is right? If so, you could be the Payroll Lead we're looking for.

As our Payroll Lead, you'll play a vital role in ensuring every colleague is paid accurately and on time. You'll be the go-to expert for complex payroll queries, providing clear advice and guidance to employees and managers. Working closely with HR, Finance, and other departments, you'll help drive improvements, support system changes, and make sure our payroll service is always compliant, efficient, and customer-focused. You'll also deputise for the Payroll Manager, representing the team and making key operational decisions when needed.

You'll be responsible for quality control, data security, and the smooth running of all payroll processes, from recruitment and appointments to leavers, contractual changes, and pay adjustments. Your attention to detail, commitment to confidentiality, and ability to manage competing priorities will help us deliver a service colleagues can trust.

If you have experience in payroll operations, a passion for getting things right, and the confidence to lead and inspire others, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and help make a real difference for Sandwell's workforce, while living our values of One Team, Customer Focused, Inclusive, Ambitious, and Accountable.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure every colleague is paid accurately and on time.
• Act as the go‑to expert for complex payroll queries, providing clear advice and guidance to employees and managers.
• Work closely with HR, Finance and other departments to drive improvements, support system changes and maintain compliance with all payroll legislation.
• Deputise for the Payroll Manager, representing the team and making key operational decisions when needed.
• Manage quality control, data security and the smooth running of all payroll processes from recruitment and appointments to leavers, contractual changes and pay adjustments.
• Maintain confidentiality, manage competing priorities and deliver a client‑focused payroll service.

Required Qualifications

• Experience in payroll administration with up‑to‑date knowledge of payroll legislation and best practice.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Confidence handling complex queries and making operational decisions.
• Ability to lead, inspire, support, and quality‑check the work of a team.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Commitment to confidentiality and data security.
• A collaborative, positive, proactive approach.
• Commitment to our values: One Team, Customer Focused, Inclusive, Ambitious and Accountable.