Head of Payroll (XN10)
| Posting date: | 01 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £76,965.00 to £88,682.00 per year |
| Additional salary information: | £76965.00 - £88682.00 a year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 22 September 2025 |
| Location: | Leeds, LS9 7TF |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | C9298-FIN-0150 |
Summary
Staff Management of 6 Payroll and Pension Teams incorporating 3 Team Leaders (Band 6) and over 59 staff (in a range of Bands from 2 to 5) Responsible for processing payments to over 55,000 assignments Within 11 Trusts/Organisations - with payroll values averaging over £853,000,000.00 per annum (increasing with growth). Policy and Service Development Responsibility for developing and implementing Policy and Procedures within the Payroll Department, many of which impact upon all departments in all client organisations, and affect working practices and procedures in client Trusts Responsible for proposing policies and procedures to Client Trusts and assisting in the implementation of such proposals Responsible for implementing National Policies and practices within payroll department, and give advice and assistance when necessary to client Trusts to assist in their implementation of such policies Responsible for service development which impacts across multiple NHS and non NHS organisations Financial and Physical Resources Responsible for the long term strategic plans for the service by creating an operational framework that will enable growth, taking into account the needs of all current and future client organisations needs, as well as managing uncertainty within the clients current workforce. Responsible for budget for Payroll Department £ 1.34m per annum (increasing with growth) and for authorising spend against the budget. Responsible for authorising and signing off payrolls to a value of £883m per annum (increasing with growth) which affects the budgets of multiple client Trusts and other bodies. Responsible for ensuring legitimacy of authorised payment of Inland Revenue payments averaging £218m per annum. Responsible for ensuring legitimacy of authorised payment of NHS Pension scheme contributions averaging £114m per annum Authorised signatory for payments to Inland Revenue, NHS Pension Scheme and third party agencies totalling several million pounds per month. Responsible for ensuring sufficient staffing levels to enable service provision and future growth Responsible for ensuring all office equipment and furniture within payroll department is available and up to required standard Planning Responsible for the long term growth and expansion of the service to become a regional / national provider of payroll services Negotiate new business contracts with prospective clients at Board level and set out terms of engagement by providing a written Service level Agreement which may vary with different clients needs. Develop long term strategic plans (3 - 5 years) to ensure current and future service provision can be sustained and grown to meet increase in demand / client base Human Resources Responsible for full management of the Payroll Department Responsible for full management of the Pensions Department Responsible for full management of the Employee Expenses and Transactional Processing Department Overall responsibility for training and professional development of payroll/pensions/expenses staff Responsible for staff recruitment and retention Responsible for staff grievances and disciplinary issues for all staff in department Responsible for monitoring and managing sickness absence levels across the whole department in accordance with agreed policy Responsible for staff appraisals across the department Responsible for allocation and re-allocation of blocks of work within department ensuring the right balance is achieved and sustainable, taking into account the strategic impact of future growth Participates in training on a Regional basis for all staff employed in Payroll and HR across the North of England Deals with staff problems/ issues. Information Resources Specialist on Computerised Payroll System. Responsible for proper operation and management of computerised payroll, payroll input, historical pay data and local payscale and allowances systems, which ensures information (extracted for complex reports, by Section Managers and Pensions Manager), for Department of Health, National Fraud Office, Finance and HR Departments and Managers is accurate and up to date. Responsible for ensuring Trust specific information is accurately represented in such systems for each individual client. Responsible for developing IT systems within payroll department which impact across all clients. Regularly produce complex reports for use in client Trusts. Regularly review and design systems, procedures and policies within Payroll, and within client trusts to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Produce statements of Redundancy Payments and costs thereof to enable Client Trusts to assess viability of organisational change. Ensure that the Trust policies, procedures and standards for records management are implemented, maintained, monitored and reviewed. Ensure that all staff in department are aware of the above policies, procedures and standards and their responsibilities Process the gathering of information within Payroll in order to comply with an Information Request under Freedom of Information Act requirements Ensure that the standards for Information Security Management System (BS7799) are implemented, maintained, monitored and reviewed and that this process is reflected in the IM&T Security Manuals Ensure that all staff in Payroll are aware of the standards, policies, procedures relating to Information Security Management Systems Ensure that processes and procedures relating to confidentiality are developed, maintained, monitored and reviewed in line with NHS Guidance and legislation: Data Protection Act 1998 Caldicott Principles NHS Code of Confidentiality Human Rights Ensure that all staff in Payroll are aware of the policies and procedures relating to confidentiality. Research and Development Regularly undertakes set up and testing of new items in the payroll system to ensure statutory compliance and to meet the needs of multiple clients Responsible for the setup and testing of the expenses system to ensure accurate payment of staff claims and compliance with Duty of Care Responsible for the testing of all interfaces to ESR (e.g. ERostering systems) to ensure correct payments are generated Regularly undertakes research relating to all Payroll and Pensions related matters to ensure all statutory changes are interpreted and applied correctly Responsible for ensuring the completion of statutory returns for Dept of Health, National Fraud office, National Statistics office. Responsible for audit of payroll department processing to prevent fraud. Respond and act upon audit reports Review and revise departmental procedures. Freedom to Act Work autonomously, guided by National Policy and regulation, but responsible for the interpretation of these. Responsible for developing procedures and policies to be used by staff in payroll and in Client Trusts. Direct and guide staff in payroll department. Responsible for advising Client Trusts on interpretations and necessary procedures. Acts as lead specialist in Payroll & Pensions Matters. Communication Regularly advise Directors of HR, Directors of Finance and other Senior Managers on highly complex issues relating to Payroll and Pensions, Statutory Requirements, Terms & Conditions of Service. Meet at regular intervals with client organisation senior staff to review service quality and delivery Deal with individual employees both collectively and individually where potential TUPE transfers create uncertainty and anxiety Give Instruction, Guidance and Advice to Payroll staff on all matters relating to Payroll department activities. Propose new procedures and policies to Client Trusts which have an impact on working practices within the Trusts, using negotiating and persuasion skills to achieve the desired outcome. Participate in Regional and National Groups relating to Computerised Payroll System, NHS Pension Scheme, Payroll Management and Payroll Training. Organise, plan and deliver presentations to multi discipline employees on Payroll and Pensions Matters. Organise plan and deliver presentations to Trust Managers on more complex Payroll and Pensions Matters. Organise plan and deliver presentations to payroll staff on major changes to conditions of service, statutory legislation, or payroll procedures. Consult and negotiate with Payroll staff regarding organisational change and changes to working practices. Consult and negotiate with employee groups regarding changes to working practices and terms and conditions of service. Answer complex queries, written, verbal, and electronic, from Managers, employees, outside agencies, bereaved relatives. Respond to complaints from employees, outside agencies and Managers. Regularly speak to irate, distressed employees regarding pay issues. Handle escalated queries from employees or managers which payroll staff have been unable to resolve. Negotiate repayment of salary overpayments with angry and distressed employees. Discuss with terminally ill employees available options for Benefits/pension. Meet with relatives of deceased employees to discuss NHS Pensions benefits payable Regularly discuss complex payroll issues with employees for whom English is not the first language. Please see the attached job description for further information.