Vacancy – Payroll Officer – Rotherham

Sutton McGrath Hartley Ltd; Rotherham; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Study support

Life assurance 4x salary

Eye tests

Social events and volunteering

Staff discounts

Job summary

Sutton McGrath Hartley Ltd is seeking a confident Payroll Officer to join the expanding Payroll department in Rotherham. The role involves more than processing payrolls; you will help develop the service and look for improvements.

Key duties include end-to-end payroll processing, RTI submissions, pension submissions and maintaining compliant payroll records for multiple clients. Strong accuracy and organisation are essential.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of payroll experience in a payroll bureau, practice or professional services.
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation and statutory compliance.
• Experience with payroll software (BrightPay preferred).

Responsibilities

• Process end-to-end payrolls for a portfolio of clients on weekly, fortnightly and monthly cycles.
• Calculate wages, overtime, bonuses, deductions and statutory payments.
• Submit RTI submissions (FPS/EPS) and auto-enrolment pension submissions.

Skills

Payroll experience

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Client service

Microsoft Excel

Teamwork

Education

CIPP qualification

Accounting qualification

Tools

BrightPay

Office 365

Job description

The SMH Group offers a comprehensive range of financial services, including Accountancy, Financial Services, Wills & Probate, Commercial Finance, Residential Mortgages and Corporate Finance. We have over 220 employees across 11 offices throughout Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we want to give them the confidence to grow and shape their future. As we grow, we are guided by our core behaviours: being Client Centric, acting as One Firm, and Caring by doing the right thing for our people, clients and communities.

With our clients and people at the forefront of everything we do, we work hard to deliver consistent, high‑quality results, and we foster a culture of respect, support and inclusion within our teams.

About the role

We are looking for a confident, professional and dedicated Payroll Officer to join our expanding Payroll department in Rotherham.

This role suits someone who wants to do more than process payrolls: someone who will help develop our service and look for ways to improve it.

Key responsibilities

• Processing end‑to‑end payrolls for a portfolio of clients on a weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis
• Calculating wages, overtime, bonuses, deductions and statutory payments accurately
• Preparing and submitting RTI submissions (FPS/EPS) and auto‑enrolment pension submissions
• Handling starters, leavers, amendments and year‑end processes
• Reconciling payroll reports and assisting with audits when required
• Maintaining accurate payroll records and ensuring compliance with tax, National Insurance and employment legislation
• Acting as the first point of contact for client payroll queries and providing payroll‑related advice
• Supporting the continuous improvement of our payroll processes and systems

About you

• At least 3 years’ payroll experience, ideally within a payroll bureau, accountancy practice or professional services environment
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation and statutory compliance
• Experience with payroll software; BrightPay experience is desirable
• A high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple client deadlines
• An excellent telephone manner and strong interpersonal and client service skills
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office 365 and Excel
• Professional and discreet when handling confidential information
• Proactive, solution‑focused and calm under pressure
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• A relevant payroll or accounting qualification (e.g. CIPP) is desirable but not essential

What’s on offer

• Salary from £30,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy up to 5 more
• Study support for professional qualifications
• Life assurance at 4x salary
• Eye tests
• Social events and volunteering opportunities
• Staff discounts on Wills, LPAs and residential mortgages

Job type: Full‑time (37.5 hours per week), permanent
Location: Rotherham (office‑based)