senior payroll specialist

Schools’ Choice; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Schools’ Choice is seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to support accurate, compliant payroll operations with our outsourced provider, Zellis. You will protect data integrity, audit readiness, and partner with the People Team to ensure HR and payroll integration.

You will help manage pension processes, develop payroll reports, and monitor HMRC and pay legislation changes, providing monthly insights to managers and ensuring timely submissions.

Qualifications

• End-to-end payroll experience.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers desirable.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation.
• Experience with pension administration.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience with Time & Attendance systems desirable.
• CIPP qualification desirable.

Responsibilities

• Audit payroll data and processes for accuracy and compliance.
• Support the Pay & Reward Partner in managing Zellis relationship.
• Collaborate with Zellis to maintain timely, improved payroll processes.
• Review and validate employee data before payroll submission.
• Ensure pension processes are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Develop payroll reports and dashboards for insights and regulatory compliance.
• Manage Time & Attendance updates for new starters and changes.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to the Payroll Administrator.
• Monitor changes in payroll legislation and implement updates.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, NMW/NLW, Auto-Enrolment.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

UK payroll legislation

Pension administration

Education

CIPP Qualification desirable

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Time & Attendance systems

Job description

To support the delivery of accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll operations in collaboration with our outsourced provider, Zellis. This role ensures the integrity of payroll data, assists the Payroll Administrator, and partners closely with the People Team to maintain seamless integration of HR and payroll processes. The Senior Payroll Specialist also aids in audit readiness, reporting, and continuous improvement across payroll systems and practices.

Key Relationships:

• Reporting into the Pay & Reward Business Partner
• Working with the People Team
• Working with the outsourced Payroll provider, Zellis.
• Working with Operational Managers and their Support Team

Main Activities and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for regularly auditing payroll data and processes to ensure accuracy, compliance, and readiness for internal and external audits.
• Act as a key support to the Pay & Reward Business Partner in managing the relationship with Zellis, ensuring service levels and compliance are maintained.
• Work in partnership with Zellis to ensure processes are smooth and timely, and a continuous improvement approach is maintained.
• Review and validate ELI data to ensure accuracy and completeness before payroll submission.
• Ensure all Pension processes are completed with accuracy in accordance with key deadlines.
• Develop and manage payroll reports and dashboards for business insights and compliance with pay legislation, including gender pay gap.
• Managing the company's Time & Attendance (T&A) system by ensuring that new starters and changes to employee's details are updated within payroll deadlines with the Payroll Assistant.
• Providing day-to-day peer support and guidance to the Payroll Administrator.
• Collaborate with the People Team to ensure seamless integration of HR and payroll data.
• Input new starter details, such as P45 tax information, and check leavers payments, such as holiday payments.
• Work with the Payroll administrator to prepare all relevant data to submit to Zellis, including but not limited to absence, adjustments, parental leave, benefits, and overtime.
• Maintain a proactive Customer Service approach to payroll, ensuring that all colleague queries are responded to in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Foster a positive working relationship with Managers by providing monthly feedback reports on the payroll process, and agreeing strategies for improvement.
• Monitor changes in payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• Assess the impact of legislative changes and implement required process updates.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, National Minimum Wage, National Living Wage, Auto-Enrolment and statutory payment requirements.

Knowledge and Experience:

• End-to-end payroll experience.
• Experience working with outsourced payroll providers desirable.
• Strong knowledge of UK payroll legislation.
• Experience with pension administration.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience of Time & Attendance systems desirable.
• CIPP Qualification desirable.