Senior Employee Services Advisor (Payroll)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Payroll Officer to join the Employee Services team on a permanent contract to support our payroll shared services. This role will be predominantly covering University of North Midlands NHS Trust payroll contract based at our Parklands, Stoke Upon Trent office.

As a Senior Employee Services Advisor in the team, you will be responsible for a high volume complex section of payroll and the day to day processing, inputting and calculation associated with providing an excellent payroll service.

Experience of Oracle or ESR is highly desirable. An excellent understanding of statutory legislation together with a sound knowledge of IT is essential. You should be able to use Word, Excel and Outlook confidently. Knowledge of EASY would be helpful but not essential.

Previous experience of working within a Senior Employee Services/Payroll role is required for this role, preferably NHS but not essential.

To manage, prepare, calculate and administer a designated payroll and pensions portfolio for the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) and its shared service partners, predominantly UHNM. To have a full working knowledge and experience of the ESR system, NHS Pay and Conditions, HMRC Statutory Regulations and NHS Pensions. To be able to work independently or as part of a team and responsible for providing an accurate, timely payroll and pension service.

The work of the team impacts on every single employee within the Trusts and good customer service is key to their success.

Every transaction that passes through the team has to be checked to ensure that all of the Standing Financial Instructions of the Trusts have been adhered to and that the required levels of authorisation for that particular spend has been given. This gate keeper role is fundamental to ensuring financial probity within the organisations.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the West Midlands providing primary, acute and community services and we are incredibly proud of the diversity of both our staff and the communities we serve. We are building a workforce that can help us to fulfil our values, improve quality of care for patients, and solve the health care problems of tomorrow. We’re passionate about the value that diversity of thinking and lived experience brings in enabling us to become a learning organisation and leader in delivering compassionate care for our patients.
We are delighted that we have been rated as “Good” by CQC. We have achieved numerous awards; The Nursing Times Best Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff in 2020.
The Trust is a supportive working environment committed to creating flexible working arrangements that suit your needs and as such will consider all requests from applicants who wish to work flexibly.

To accurately pay calculate and administer a large volume designated payroll portfolio including all variations to pay and details affecting pay for staff concerned. Ensure balances are correct and accuracy of payments made.

The post holder will be required to speak to employees on a regular basis to handle any enquiries about their pay or pensions. Information of this kind is extremely sensitive in particular at times where there may be a discrepancy or a delay in a person's pay. The post holder must be able to provide and receive information which may be contentious in its nature and also give reassurance to the employee that their issue will be resolved promptly.

To be fully conversant with the ESR system for both accessing and processing data in respect of payroll, pensions & HR as necessary.

To complete all administration for payroll portfolio including basic standard letters, mortgage references, solicitors letters, insurance letters and court data requests.

To advise managers and staff on basic and complex payroll and pension matters in a clear and concise manner.

To be able to produce complex manual calculations for tax, NI and pensions to raise correct manual advances or make adjustments.

To check payrolls or expenses produced by other members of the payroll team.

To have full knowledge of all terms and conditions of service for payroll and pensions. Eg. AFC, Medical & Dental Contracts, HMRC statutory regulations, NHS Pension regulations, RTI and Auto enrolment.

To complete all administration for a designated payroll portfolio inclusive of 'P' forms (P45/P46/P60/P6) and send standard letters to employees and external bodies.

To ensure the provision of a 'gold standard' pensions service to employees.

This function includes scheme joiners/leavers; the accurate maintenance of pension records using electronic transfer (via the NHS pension’s agency online system); estimates of benefits in relation to normal age retirement; voluntary early retirement; family benefits and the purchase of extra benefits.

Calculations of this kind are often complex and can involve pulling together information from a variety of sources in order to provide a range of costed options for an individual to consider. To liaise with the NHS Pensions Agency on pension issues.

Assistance with the ongoing development of internal Payroll procedures and controls.

The post holder is required to assist the Payroll Team Leaders and Manager in developing and implementing procedures and controls within the team. They will be expected to proactively contribute to the implementation of new policies and thus support the team in adopting new methods.

To liaise with managers as appropriate to ensure payroll information is received correctly completed, in a timely manner and provide training as necessary. To highlight and resolve any poor administration in departments and to work with managers to implement appropriate systems of payroll data collection.

The post holder will be required to manage and organise their own work in an accurate and timely manner and demonstrate a significant level of initiative.

To ensure that at all times all information is protected by data protection regulations and all necessary checks are taken out before providing information.

To train, supervise and support administration assistants and less senior team members.

To deputise for team leaders if required.

To assist in processing of expenses claims as necessary.

To have excellent customer service skills.

To see full list of duties and main responsibilities, please refer to the full job description attached to the vacancy on the Trust website.