Role: Payroll and Pensions Lead

Location: Plymouth - Hybrid (2 days a week)
Duration: 3 Months
Contract: Full Time
Hourly rate: up to £165 UMB per day

Sellick Partnership are currently recruiting for a Payroll and Pensions Lead to join our reputable public sector organisation based in Plymouth. This is a contract for 3 months, with a possibility to be extended, and is offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days onsite.

The Payroll and Pensions Lead will lead the delivery of an efficient, accurate, and compliant payroll and pensions service, ensuring employees receive a high-quality service and support.

The appointed candidate will oversee the management of the Payroll and Pensions Team, providing training, coaching, and performance management.

Responsibilities

The duties of the Payroll and Pensions Lead will include:

• Leading the Payroll and Pensions function, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, compliant, and customer-focused service across the organisation and external clients.
• Acting as the senior subject matter expert for payroll and pension matters, providing specialist advice and resolving complex queries, calculations, and casework.
• Managing, motivating, and developing the Payroll and Pensions Team through recruitment, induction, performance management, regular one-to-one meetings, and development planning.
• Ensuring payroll and pension services are delivered accurately and on time, meeting all Service Level Agreements, statutory requirements, and key performance indicators.
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with Shared Business Services (SBS), acting as the key contact for escalations, performance reviews, and service improvement initiatives.
• Leading the interpretation and implementation of new payroll and pension legislation, ensuring policies, processes, and systems remain compliant with regulatory requirements.
• Overseeing pension administration and acting as the main liaison with the Pensions Agency, ensuring adherence to national standards and reporting requirements.
• Monitoring service performance, analyzing management information, and KPI data, investigating variances, and implementing corrective actions to drive continuous improvement.
• Reviewing, developing, and streamlining payroll and pension processes to improve efficiency, enhance customer experience, and support digital transformation initiatives.
• Leading payroll and pension projects, including system improvements, process changes, and the implementation of new ways of working.
• Providing expert guidance to managers, employees, clients, and external stakeholders on payroll, pensions, and statutory obligations.
• Coordinating and delivering training to payroll and pension staff, ensuring knowledge, capability, and compliance are maintained across the service.
• Representing the service at meetings, working groups, project boards, and staff engagement activities as required.
• Ensuring effective communication and implementation of local, national, and statutory changes affecting payroll and pension services.
• Maintaining business continuity within the service, ensuring resources are effectively managed and workloads are distributed appropriately across the team.
• Supporting the development, review, and management of Service Level Agreements to ensure services continue to meet business objectives and client expectations.