Senior Payroll Administrator

Venesky Brown; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Group pension scheme

Life assurance

Private medical cover

Job summary

A UK-based recruitment agency is seeking a Senior Payroll Administrator for a 14-month contract starting in April. This position entails processing payroll for around 1500 contractors and leading payroll operations while ensuring compliance with HMRC legislation. You will also support audits and mentor junior staff. The role offers a salary of £30,000-£34,000, bonus, benefits, and a hybrid working model. Ideal candidates have experience in payroll processing and strong Excel skills.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a high-volume payroll environment.
• Familiarity with finance and payroll systems.
• Experience with RTI submissions and BACS processing.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate payroll processing for approximately 1500 contractors.
• Support payroll audits and compliance.
• Manage payroll queries effectively.
• Prepare and submit RTI FPS files to HMRC.

Skills

End-to-end payroll processing

Understanding of HMRC legislation

MS Office & Excel skills

Problem-solving skills

Attention to detail

Tools

Sage

RSM InTime & InPay

Freshdesk

Job description

Venesky-Brown is a multi-disciplined UK-based Recruitment Agency with a presence across Infrastructure, Public Sector & Energy.

We are currently looking to recruit a Senior Payroll Administrator for a 14 month fixed term contract, starting late April. Working in both the Construction and Professional Services sectors, the Senior Payroll Administrator ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing for all contractors circa 1500, including UK PAYE, Umbrella and Ltd workers.

This role leads payroll operations, supports system audits, and mentors junior payroll staff, while ensuring alignment with HMRC legislation and company policies.

Salary £30,000-£34,000 (Dependant on experience), bonus, generous annual leave, group pension scheme, life assurance and private medical cover. Hybrid working arrangement: working 1 day (Thursday) in our central Edinburgh office.

Responsibilities:

Payroll Operations and Compliance

Support in processing weekly payroll and ensure accurate timesheet and expense imports:

• Processing holiday pay
• Managing payroll queries through Freshdesk
• Processing of statutory payments including SSP, SMP, SPP and understanding legislation
• Reconciliation of payment files for Umbrella companies
• Processing of payment to Umbrella companies and workers on a weekly basis in Sage.

Support with payroll audit and compliance

• Validating data to ensure compliance with audit and legislation
• Collating audit information from Umbrella companies

Processing advance payments, including reconciliation and resolving discrepancies

• Revolving pay queries and ensuring timely correction and payment
• Processing the advances for umbrella
• Reconciling full PAYE payroll report each week

Transmit RTI FPS files to HMRC and manage BACS file creation and submission

• Reconciliation of weekly pension and upload to pension provider
• Submission of full FPS to HMRC
• Reconciliation of bank files
• Upload bank files to Bankline for approval

System and Data Management

• Using RSM InTime & InPay
• Assist with payroll system records ensuring accuracy and audited regularly.
• Manage pay period transitions, including opening/closing, increments, and corrections
• Liaise with key business stakeholder teams to ensure correct setup of new starters
• Provide support to Payroll Administrators in daily operations, reporting and year-end tasks
• Support year-end payroll activities, ensure statutory compliance

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in end-to-end payroll processing, in a high-volume and dynamic, weekly

payroll environment.

• Experience in a construction or agency payroll environment (preferred but not essential).
• Strong understanding of HMRC legislation, including tax, NI, and statutory payments
• Minimum intermediate MS Office & Excel skills, confident in VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables (essential)
• Excellent attention to detail and data accuracy skills
• Good problem-solving and time management skills
• Experience with RTI submissions and BACS processing
• Familiarity with finance and payroll systems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage sensitive information confidentially
• Methodical approach to information collection, analysis and management
• Highly organised with the ability to meet deadlines in a timely manner

To find out more have a look at our website. Read a bit about our values, products, and projects and if you like what you see, apply online.

A fantastic culture is really important to Venesky Brown, we work hard to make it diverse and inclusive and want everyone to have access to the same opportunities. If you would like this advert in a different format or need an alternative method of applying, please let us know. You can email us at [e-mail] or call us on 0131 357 2140.