Workforce Transactions and Payroll Coordinator

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK healthcare provider is seeking a Workforce Transactions and Payroll Coordinator to manage payroll processes and HR transactions efficiently. The successful candidate will ensure accuracy in workforce changes, supervise junior staff, and provide guidance on HR policies. Strong attention to detail, ESR knowledge, and the ability to communicate effectively are essential. This role offers a competitive salary and opportunities to develop expertise in HR Transactions and payroll controls.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Development opportunities

Access to staff support and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience in workforce administration, payroll control, or transactional HR in NHS.
• Familiarity with workforce metrics (e.g., turnover, vacancy rate, sickness).
• Supervisory or team coordination experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day flow of transactional casework across payroll and HR services.
• Provide supervision of junior colleagues and assist in their development.
• Act as a key point of contact for managers regarding payroll submissions.

Skills

Strong ESR knowledge

Attention to detail

Clear communication

Problem-solving

Education

NVQ Level 4 or equivalent

CIPD Level 3 (working towards)

Tools

ESR

Payroll systems

Job description

Go back South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Workforce Transactions and Payroll Coordinator

The closing date is 22 December 2025

The Workforce Transactions and Payroll Coordinator provides day‑to‑day coordination across the HR Transactions and Payroll Control teams, ensuring that workforce changes, leavers and pay‑affecting submissions are processed accurately and on time. You will act as a key link between both functions, helping reduce errors, improve data quality and support managers in understanding the processes they need to follow.

The role involves checking HR forms, resolving common transactional issues, and liaising with the Trust's payroll provider (NHS SBS) to ensure information is complete and compliant with Trust policy and payroll deadlines. You will supervise junior colleagues within the team and deputise for the Payroll Control Officers when required. This role is ideal for someone with strong ESR knowledge, excellent attention to detail and the confidence to provide clear, consistent advice to managers and staff.

Main duties of the job

The Workforce Transactions and Payroll the smooth delivery of workforce changes, leavers and pay‑impacting submissions across HR Transactions and Payroll Control. You will check forms for accuracy and policy compliance, resolve common issues, and provide clear guidance to managers on terms and conditions, approval flows and payroll cut‑off requirements.

You will coordinate day‑to‑day activity across both teams, helping ensure information is complete, timely and ready for submission to the Trust's payroll provider. The role includes supervising junior colleagues, supporting their development, and acting as a first point of contact for routine escalations or delays. You will also deputise for Payroll Control Officers when required.

A key part of the role is providing confident advice on parenting‑related leave processes, ensuring managers and staff understand entitlements and required documentation. You will help improve data quality by identifying recurring issues, maintaining accurate records, and supporting updates to SOPs, templates and guidance.

To succeed, you will need strong ESR knowledge, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to communicate clearly with managers and colleagues across HR, Finance and Payroll.

About us

You will be joining a newly developing, integrated Workforce Transactions and Payroll Control function that is focused on delivering reliable, accurate and timely workforce changes for the Trust. The team works closely across HR Transactions, Payroll Control and Workforce Information, creating a supportive environment where colleagues share knowledge, problem‑solve together and help each other navigate complex processes.

The team ethos is centred on accuracy, consistency and strong customer service. Because you'll be coordinating activity across both HR and payroll pathways, you will work with colleagues who are committed to improving how information flows through ESR and to reducing repeat errors and delays. It's a collaborative group where everyone plays a role in strengthening processes and ensuring staff are paid correctly and on time.

As part of South London and Maudsley, you will benefit from flexible working arrangements, development opportunities and access to a wide range of staff support and wellbeing initiatives. This role offers the chance to build your expertise in HR Transactions, payroll controls and ESR, while contributing directly to a more resilient and coordinated workforce administration service.

Job responsibilities

1. Service Delivery and Operational Support

Coordinate the day‑to‑day flow of transactional casework across both payroll and HR services.

Check leaver, change and parenting‑related forms for completeness and policy compliance before submission.

Respond to general T&Cs queries from managers or staff, working with HR Transactions Officers to provide timely, accurate guidance.

Troubleshoot rejections and missing data related to changes in hours, role, location or contract.

Support operational delivery of maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental leave processes in line with policy.

Support managers with understanding cut‑off dates, approval flows and best practice when completing HR forms.

2. People Management and Team Development

Provide direct day‑to‑day supervision of Band 4 HR Transactions Officers and Payroll Control Assistant.

Promote joined‑up team working by supporting shared understanding of HR and payroll interdependencies.

Act as the first point of contact for team escalations related to HR form queries or delays.

Provide informal coaching to Band 4 HR Transactions Officers to build understanding of pay‑affecting processes.

Deputise for Band 6 Payroll Control Officers, including leading on escalations and stakeholder liaison when required.

3. Relationship Management and Customer Service

Be a key point of contact for managers regarding payroll submissions, ensuring advice is clear, confident and in line with policy.

Provide subject matter expertise on all parenting‑related workforce transactions (maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption).

Promote positive working relationships across HR, Finance, SBS, and operational teams.

Respond to queries relating to changes in terms and conditions (e.g. hours, pay, role title, location, flexible working).

Liaise with managers to resolve incomplete or unclear information on workforce forms.

Offer confident and consistent advice on routine HR transactional matters (e.g. annual leave adjustments, backdated changes).

Escalate any policy concerns to senior colleagues in HR where required.

4. Quality, Compliance and Improvement

Monitor and contribute to compliance with Trust pay assurance and payroll control processes.

Support audit requirements by ensuring data integrity and robust record keeping.

Help reduce repeat errors or queries by identifying themes and providing guidance to Band 4s or line managers.

Contribute to the development and updating of SOPs, template forms and guidance to reduce rework or delays.

Liaise with the Workforce Information & Systems team to ensure accuracy in establishment data when relevant to payroll change forms.

5. Systems and Data

Ensure ESR is used effectively to enter, verify and reconcile workforce transactional data.

Maintain records in line with GDPR and Trust standards.

Track forms, escalations, and rejections for reporting and improvement.

Maintain local logs, trackers or dashboards to support team planning and issue resolution.

6. Governance and Compliance

Ensure compliance with data protection legislation, Trust IG policies and NHS data standards.

Maintain audit trails, SOPs and documentation for all key reports and data processes.

Support internal audits and assurance reviews relating to workforce data and reporting.

7. Other

Participate in personal development and relevant CPD opportunities.

Support the Trusts equality, diversity and inclusion agenda and role model respectful and values‑led leadership.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 4, Foundation Degree, or equivalent experience in HR, payroll or workforce administration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Working towards or holding CIPD Level 3
• Relevant certification in HR Systems (e.g. ESR) or data analysis

Experience

• NHS experience in workforce administration, payroll control, or transactional HR
• Experience using ESR and liaising with payroll providers (e.g. SBS)
• Supervisory or team coordination experience
• Experience handling parenting‑related leave processes
• Involvement in system implementations or automation projects.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of ESR and payroll‑impacting transactions
• Skilled in interpreting policy and applying it consistently
• Familiarity with workforce metrics (e.g. turnover, vacancy rate, sickness).
• Familiarity with Registration Authority Functions i.e. Smartcards

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

£37,259 to £45,356 a year inclusive of HCAS