Payroll Team Leader
| Posting date: | 16 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 02 March 2026 |
| Location: | PE2 8TY |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Peterborough City Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 0759 |
Summary
All about the Role
This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a permanent team leader role at the heart of the Council.
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Payroll Team Leader to lead and shape our payroll function, ensuring accurate, timely and fully compliant payroll services for colleagues across the organisation. You will play a vital role in maintaining trust and confidence across the workforce, ensuring every employee is paid correctly and on time.
This is more than a technical payroll role. It is an opportunity to lead a valued corporate service, drive continuous improvement and influence how payroll operates as the organisation continues its improvement and transformation journey.
Key responsibilities include:
• Leading, motivating and developing a compact but high-performing payroll team
• Managing end-to-end payroll processing, including emergency manual payments and year-end returns
• Ensuring full compliance with statutory requirements, council policies and audit standards
• Resolving complex payroll queries with confidence and professionalism
• Identifying and implementing process improvements and efficiencies
• Working collaboratively with HR, Finance, Internal Audit, HMRC and pension providers
• Coaching and mentoring team members through regular one-to-ones and team meetings
All About You
You are an experienced payroll professional with strong technical expertise and a collaborative, confident leadership style.
You will ideally hold a CIPP qualification (or be working towards one), or bring equivalent experience, alongside GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths. Experience within local government payroll is essential.
We are looking for someone who can:
• Lead and inspire a payroll team, setting clear standards and expectations
• Confidently manage full end-to-end payroll processes
• Resolve complex payroll issues with sound, practical solutions
• Build strong working relationships with senior leaders, operational managers, HR professionals and auditors
• Demonstrate detailed knowledge of PAYE, NI, statutory payments, pensions and HMRC regulations
• Maintain exceptional attention to detail and accuracy, even under pressure
• Use Microsoft Excel and payroll systems effectively (experience with Unit4 HRP is desirable)
• Bring a proactive, flexible and customer-focused approach
Most importantly, you will take pride in delivering a service colleagues can depend on: accurate, compliant and professional.
If you are ready to take the next step in your payroll leadership career and make a lasting impact within a forward-thinking local authority, we would love to hear from you.
This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a permanent team leader role at the heart of the Council.
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Payroll Team Leader to lead and shape our payroll function, ensuring accurate, timely and fully compliant payroll services for colleagues across the organisation. You will play a vital role in maintaining trust and confidence across the workforce, ensuring every employee is paid correctly and on time.
This is more than a technical payroll role. It is an opportunity to lead a valued corporate service, drive continuous improvement and influence how payroll operates as the organisation continues its improvement and transformation journey.
Key responsibilities include:
• Leading, motivating and developing a compact but high-performing payroll team
• Managing end-to-end payroll processing, including emergency manual payments and year-end returns
• Ensuring full compliance with statutory requirements, council policies and audit standards
• Resolving complex payroll queries with confidence and professionalism
• Identifying and implementing process improvements and efficiencies
• Working collaboratively with HR, Finance, Internal Audit, HMRC and pension providers
• Coaching and mentoring team members through regular one-to-ones and team meetings
All About You
You are an experienced payroll professional with strong technical expertise and a collaborative, confident leadership style.
You will ideally hold a CIPP qualification (or be working towards one), or bring equivalent experience, alongside GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths. Experience within local government payroll is essential.
We are looking for someone who can:
• Lead and inspire a payroll team, setting clear standards and expectations
• Confidently manage full end-to-end payroll processes
• Resolve complex payroll issues with sound, practical solutions
• Build strong working relationships with senior leaders, operational managers, HR professionals and auditors
• Demonstrate detailed knowledge of PAYE, NI, statutory payments, pensions and HMRC regulations
• Maintain exceptional attention to detail and accuracy, even under pressure
• Use Microsoft Excel and payroll systems effectively (experience with Unit4 HRP is desirable)
• Bring a proactive, flexible and customer-focused approach
Most importantly, you will take pride in delivering a service colleagues can depend on: accurate, compliant and professional.
If you are ready to take the next step in your payroll leadership career and make a lasting impact within a forward-thinking local authority, we would love to hear from you.