People and Payroll Services Lead

Your new company
Location: Bicester (1-2 days working on-site)
Salary: £58,000 - £64,750
Contract: 12-month Fixed-Term Contract (potential to become permanent)

We are partnering with a large and complex public sector organisation undergoing a significant transformation within its People Services function. As part of a recent restructure, an exciting opportunity has arisen for a Payroll & People Services Lead to play a key role in shaping and delivering a high-performing, compliant, and customer-focused service.
In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely payment of salaries, pensions, and expenses across the organisation. You will oversee the performance of the outsourced payroll provider, acting as the primary point of accountability for service delivery, quality, and compliance.
Acting as the organisation's internal subject-matter expert, you will provide both strategic direction and operational oversight. You will lead on strengthening governance frameworks, enhancing controls, and driving continuous improvement to ensure a resilient and efficient payroll and people services function.
Your new role

• Lead a timely, accurate and customer-focused payroll and people services function
• Manage the outsourced payroll contract, monitoring KPIs, SLAs, service reviews and escalation processes
• Ensure accurate and timely payment of salaries, expenses and all pay elements
• Oversee payroll and pension activity including starters, leavers, contractual changes, absence and family leave
• Approve salary corrections and advances
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements and organisational policies
• Act as organisational lead for HR and payroll systems (e.g. HRIS, expenses, payslip systems)
• Ensure data integrity through audits, reconciliations and exception management
• Lead system improvements, user training and system updates
• Produce payroll reporting, support audits and manage financial risk in partnership with Finance
• Provide expert advice on pay, tax, National Insurance, pensions and employment legislation
• Support organisational change through accurate costing and workforce insight
• Build strong relationships with managers, employee representatives, external providers and key stakeholders
• Lead and develop the People Services team, ensuring high performance, resilience and service quality

What you'll need to succeed

• Professional payroll qualification with significant post-qualification experience
• CIPP Qualified with significant post-qualification experience
• CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management
• PRINCE2 Qualification would be desirable
• Detailed knowledge of payroll legislation, including tax, National Insurance, statutory payments and deductions
• Strong understanding of audit requirements and financial controls
• Extensive experience managing end-to-end payroll operations
• Expert knowledge of terms and conditions, pay frameworks, allowances and deductions
• Knowledge of pension schemes and associated regulations

What you'll get in return

• Comprehensive training programme with access to locally delivered courses
• Salary: £57,000 - £64,000
• Flexible working
• Generous annual leave starting at 27 days, rising to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, plus 8 public holidays
• Pension scheme with automatic enrolment and employer contributions
• Ongoing opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Access to Occupational Health services
• Employee Assistance Programme for well-being support
• Dedicated health and well-being initiatives
• Employee discounts across travel, retail, leisure, dining and more
• Access to employee networks and inclusion groups as a member, ally or participant

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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