Serco Plc
Payroll Apprentice
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Payroll Apprentice
Location: Hybrid, Solihull (Homer Road) & Online (Remote)
Schedule: 18 months FTC, 37.5 hours per week, Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 17:00
Salary: £20,046.00 per annum plus benefits & 25 days annual leave
Apprenticeship Qualification: Payroll Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship standard
Provider: MBKB Training Limited
About the role:
Here at Serco, we're looking for a Payroll Apprentice to join our MyHR Shared Services team in Solihull, working alongside the Payroll Compliance and Pension team. You'll get structured mentoring, a fully funded Payroll Administration apprenticeship, and real responsibility from the start.
This is a proper first step into a professional office environment. You don't need prior experience in pensions, payroll, or HR. What matters is that you care about getting things right, you're comfortable working with data, and you handle every conversation with patience and professionalism.
The team delivers TUPE transfer, P11D, and pension services across the whole company. Day to day you'll be processing pension and P11D data, preparing reports for external providers, and answering queries from colleagues who need an accurate answer quickly. The work is varied and it matters, because it sits behind how Serco looks after its people.
Day to day you'll be involved in:
- Processing payroll transactions accurately and on time, including starters, leavers, contractual changes, absence, overtime, and other pay-related adjustments.
- Supporting payroll processing activities across multiple payrolls, ensuring data is entered and validated in line with company procedures and payroll deadlines.
- Maintaining and updating employee payroll records, ensuring information remains accurate, secure, and compliant.
- Assisting with payroll checks and reconciliations to help ensure employees are paid correctly and on time.
- Responding to payroll queries by telephone, email, and ServiceNow, with clarity and professionalism, because behind every query is a colleague who relies on their pay being accurate.
- Supporting the administration of statutory payments and deductions, including sick pay, maternity pay, tax, and National Insurance.
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How you'll develop:
- Build a working understanding of payroll legislation, processes, and best practice.
- Learn how payroll systems operate and how employee data is processed accurately and securely.
- Gain experience in payroll validation, reconciliations, and quality assurance activities.
- Develop your knowledge of HMRC requirements, statutory payments, tax, and National Insurance regulations.
- Understand the end-to-end employee lifecycle and its impact on payroll processing.
- Shadow experienced payroll professionals on complex cases and take on more responsibility as your confidence grows.
- Contribute ideas that improve processes, accuracy, and the overall colleague experience.
What you need to do the Apprenticeship?
Essential:
- A good level of digital and IT literacy, so you're comfortable using systems and working with data.
- Strong attention to detail and a methodical approach to your work.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills.
- The ability to work independently and as part of a team, managing your own tasks while knowing when to ask for support.
- A willingness to learn and adapt, and a flexible approach to your work.
- The ability to use your own initiative.
- You'll need to be within commuting distance of Solihull, with a minimum of one day per week in the office plus any mentoring and apprenticeship attendance requirements.
- To meet the eligibility criteria for the apprenticeship, candidates must have been a UK resident for at least 3 years.
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No prior experience is required. A methodical mindset, a genuine willingness to learn, and care for accuracy are what we're really looking for.
What's in it for you?
- Fully funded apprenticeship.
- Onsite learning is paid and completely transferable, with full training and support provided to help you on your pathway to a potential career.
- A clear development pathway into pensions and payroll, with the chance to build specialist knowledge in a technical field.
- Practical experience in a professional environment from day one.
- A supportive and experienced team around you.
What Serco offers:
- Salary: Competitive salaries with annual reviews.
- Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme.
- Holidays: 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Training and development: We offer a wide range of learning opportunities with over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships, mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression.
- Wellbeing: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, BUPA Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, Simplyhealth cash plans to claim back money towards healthcare costs, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres.
- Discounts: Save across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment, and travel.
- Employee networks: Dedicated networks where colleagues can come together to find support, share challenges, discuss ideas, network, and be part of a community.
- Charity: Support a charity or organisation with a paid volunteering day each year. You can also choose to donate to your favourite charity tax-free, through our Payroll Giving Scheme.
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