Payroll Specialist

South West Water; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 19,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

Flexible working

Private healthcare

Employee discounts

Generous annual leave

Job summary

South West Water is seeking two Payroll Specialists for maternity cover, with fixed-term contracts until November 2027. Roles can be based at Exeter or Bristol headquarters, offering a fast-paced, accurate payroll service and opportunities to improve processes.

Reporting to the Payroll Team Leader, you will ensure employees are paid correctly and on time while complying with payroll legislation and HMRC requirements. Hybrid working is available where possible.

Qualifications

• Proven payroll experience in a busy payroll environment.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll accurately and within agreed deadlines.
• Maintain employee payroll records and ensure data integrity.
• Calculate and process statutory payments, deductions, and benefits.
• Ensure compliance with payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, and company policies.
• Respond to payroll-related queries from employees, managers, and stakeholders.
• Reconcile payroll reports and support month-end activities.
• Work with HR, Finance and external providers to resolve payroll issues.
• Support payroll audits and contribute to process improvements.

Skills

Payroll experience

Payroll legislation

Accuracy

Microsoft Excel

Organisational skills

Communication

Prioritisation

Customer-focused

Tools

Payroll systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

At Pennon Group, we're proud to serve communities while protecting the environment. Together with our subsidiaries, South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water, SES Water, Pennon Water Services and Pennon Power, we're leading the way in water and renewables.

We're proud to be recognised as a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we're working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you're starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Payroll Specialist - (maternity cover)

We are looking for two experienced and detail-oriented Payroll Specialists to join our Payroll team on fixed-term contracts, providing maternity cover until November 2027. These roles can be based at either our Exeter or Bristol headquarters.

This is an excellent opportunity for payroll professionals who thrive in a fast-paced environment and take pride in delivering an accurate, compliant, and customer-focused payroll service. Reporting to the Payroll Team Leader, you will play a key role in ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time, while supporting continuous improvement within the payroll function.

We offer a competitive salary of up to £31,000 per annum plus excellent benefits depending on your skills and experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Process payroll accurately and within agreed deadlines.
• Maintain employee payroll records and ensure data integrity.
• Calculate and process statutory payments, deductions, and benefits.
• Ensure compliance with payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, and company policies.
• Respond to payroll-related queries from employees, managers, and stakeholders.
• Reconcile payroll reports and support month-end activities.
• Work collaboratively with HR, Finance, and external providers to resolve payroll issues.
• Support payroll audits and contribute to process improvements.

About You

• Proven payroll experience within a busy payroll environment.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience using payroll systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• A proactive, customer-focused approach with a commitment to delivering exceptional service.

What we offer

Ready to make a difference? Join us as a Payroll Specialist and support our people by delivering a payroll service that helps colleagues thrive and perform at their best.

At South West Water, we believe in rewarding our people for their hard work and dedication. As our Payroll Specialist, you'll enjoy:

• Competitive Salary - Based on experience and skills
• Annual Bonus Scheme - Rewarding your performance
• Pension Scheme - Helping you plan for your future
• Flexible Working Options - We value work-life balance and offer flexible hours and hybrid working where possible
• Healthcare Benefits - Access to private healthcare and employee assistance programs
• Employee Discounts - On various products and services
• Generous Annual Leave - Take time to recharge with our holiday entitlement

Closing Date: 18th September 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

• Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
• Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
• Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.