Trust Payroll Officer

Coast and Vale Learning Trust; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS membership

CPLD and professional development

Workload-sensitive culture

Job summary

River Learning Trust is seeking a Payroll Officer to support our Central Team. You’ll ensure colleagues are paid accurately and on time while acting as the first point of contact for School Business Managers on payroll and pension queries.

Based at Rose Hill Primary School (Oxford) on a Tuesday with hybrid home-working for the rest of the week, you will work with the Payroll Manager and the HR team across 31 schools including handling Teachers' Pensions and LGPS with professional nuance.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a busy payroll environment.
• Strong Excel skills with v-lookups and formulas.
• Ability to explain payroll information clearly to colleagues.
• Capacity to meet strict monthly deadlines while managing workload.
• Commitment to handling confidential data with integrity.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll across multiple schools.
• Manage Teachers' Pensions and LGPS.
• Provide guidance to School Business Managers on payroll matters.
• Collaborate with the Payroll Manager and HR team.
• Maintain data accuracy and confidentiality.

Skills

Payroll management

Pensions knowledge

Communication

Organisation

Confidential data handling

Tools

Excel (VLOOKUPs)

Job description

As a Payroll Officer within our Central Team, you provide the essential stability that allows our school based colleagues to focus on their students. You aren’t just processing data; you are the first point of contact for School Business Managers, offering the expert guidance that ensures our workforce is paid accurately and on time. You will work across a diverse range of schools, managing the complexities of both Teachers' Pensions and LGPS with professional agency.

Imbedded in the RLT Central HR Team you will work alongside the Payroll Manager, our other Payroll Officer and the wider HR Team. You will join the team at the RLT Central Team Offices based at Rose Hill Primary School (Oxford) on a Tuesday with the remaining time working from home.

What You’ll Bring

• Technical Expertise: Proven experience in a busy payroll environment, with a high level of numeracy and attention to detail.

• System Proficiency: Strong Microsoft Excel skills (v-lookups and formulas) and the ability to adapt quickly to new IT systems.

• Relational Communication: The ability to explain complex payroll or pension information clearly and calmly to colleagues at all levels.

• Organisation: A disciplined approach to meeting strict monthly deadlines while managing a varied workload.

• Professionalism: A commitment to handling confidential data with integrity and maintaining high standards of service.

The RLT Difference

This role is part of the River Learning Trust (RLT), a multi-academy trust which consists of 31 schools and a school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) provider. Our schools and central team are united by a commitment to excellence and a focus on "Relational Trust." At the River Learning Trust, we believe in "Aligned Autonomy." While we have clear, shared processes, we trust you as a professional to manage your domain.

• A Collaborative Culture: Our Central HR and Payroll team prioritises a "Whole Person" approach. On our weekly Tuesday office day in Rose Hill, we value time for team lunches and genuine connection alongside our professional collaboration.

• Professional Growth: You will be part of a sophisticated central function where evidence-informed practice and shared learning are part of our daily rhythm.

• Flexibility: This role offers a balanced hybrid model, allowing for focused home-working alongside meaningful in-person team time.

Education has the power to change lives, communities and society for the better. At RLT we believe that we can achieve more for our pupils, trainees, staff and communities by working together rather than alone. Schools in RLT are united by a common belief in the benefits of working together, and by our commitment to shared principles.

OUR VISION is for our schools and SCITT to improve rapidly, continuously and sustainably: to be better faster together.

OUR ‘WHY?’ is that children and young people ‘only get one go’ in school and therefore as part of RLT we aim to ensure the best possible ‘go’ for our pupils.

OUR ‘HOW?’ is through the highest support and challenge for our schools and each other, underpinned by our principles.

RLT Connection & Benefits

As an RLT colleague, you will access:

• Recognised continuous service and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) membership.

• High-quality CPLD and professional development pathways.

• A culture that is workload-sensitive and respects your professional agency.

For more information on what it is like to work for the Trust, and the benefits you could access, please see our “Working in RLT” guide.

The Trust reserves the right to consider and interview candidates ahead of the closing date if appropriate. An offer may be made to an exceptional candidate in this instance.

Safeguarding

This role includes regulated activity relevant to children.

The River Learning Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing extremism. The Trust is required to conduct a variety of checks and online searches about you as part of their recruitment process in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. It is an offence to apply for certain roles within schools if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

For all RLT Safer Recruitment Documentation candidates should click on the following link RLT Safer Recruitment Documents for Candidates. Please see our website for up to date policies including our Child Protection and Behaviour Policies.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. For further guidance for applicants click on this link List of offences that are not filtered

Safeguarding Statement