Head of Payroll, Pensions, and Benefits at a University in London
Are you a dynamic leader with a passion for excellence in payroll, pensions, and benefits management? The University seeks an innovative and dedicated individual to spearhead our payroll, pensions, and benefits operations, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and a seamless employee experience.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership and Collaboration
- Lead with Vision: Drive the delivery of timely, effective, and compliant payroll, pension, and benefits services. Ensure alignment with HMRC, pension bodies, auditors, and statutory requirements.
- Maintain Integrity: Safeguard the integrity of payroll and benefits platforms, ensuring they are fit for purpose and fully compliant.
- Collaborate and Innovate: Work closely with the HR Senior Management Team (SMT) to deliver integrated, customer-focused HR services. Identify opportunities for improvement and drive continuous enhancement of our systems and processes.
Payroll and Benefits Management
- Oversee Payroll Operations: Organize, plan, and manage all payroll activities, supported by clear, documented processes that comply with statutory requirements and audit standards.
- Ensure Confidentiality and Security: Implement control procedures to preserve the confidentiality and security of payroll operations. Maintain accurate, secure records for easy reference and management reporting.
- Reconcile and Resolve: Conduct monthly reconciliations with Finance, promptly resolving any discrepancies.
- Quality and Compliance: Oversee quality processes to ensure accuracy and mitigate risk, including managing payments to various workforce segments and ensuring IR35 compliance.
- Engage and Support: Develop effective relationships with internal managers and external clients, ensuring their needs are met while adhering to regulations.
- Guidance and Reporting: Provide guidance to the HR SMT on payroll and pension matters, manage statutory returns, and ensure compliance with HMRC and other bodies.
Pension Scheme Management
- Compliance and Liaison: Manage the University's pension schemes, ensuring compliance with the Pension Regulator's requirements. Serve as the liaison between members and schemes, addressing complex pension-related issues.
- Communication and Updates: Maintain and coordinate pension presentations and member updates, keeping everyone informed of changes and benefits.
System Management and Improvement
- Optimize Systems: Ensure all payroll-related functionalities in Business World are current and compliant. Integrate payroll activities into the HR/Payroll database and test system enhancements.
- Expand Services: Collaborate with the SLT to develop shared payroll services for external organizations.
- Reward and Benefits: Review and enhance the University's reward and benefits offerings, ensuring they meet the institution's needs.
Team Leadership and Development
- Inspire and Develop: Provide motivational leadership and professional development to your team. Foster a collaborative and supportive environment through regular one-on-one meetings and team updates.
- Role Model Excellence: Lead by example, promoting team values, open communication, and best practices to ensure high-quality HR service delivery.
Continuous Improvement
- Cross-Team Collaboration: Work with other HR SMT leads to ensure effective cross-team collaboration, holding regular meetings to discuss operational issues and solutions.
- Service Improvement: Lead service improvement initiatives, developing best practices and innovative processes in payroll, pensions, and benefits management.
Professional Knowledge and Compliance
- Stay Informed: Keep abreast of recent developments and legislative changes in payroll and pensions, maintaining up-to-date knowledge to provide expert advice.
- External Engagement: Participate in meetings with peers from other higher education institutions to maintain constructive links and share best practices.
Required Experience and Skills:
- Proven Track Record: Substantial experience in managing payroll and pension operations, with a focus on compliance, accuracy, and timely delivery.
- Leadership Skills: Effective line management and collaborative leadership abilities.
- Technical Expertise: Extensive knowledge of modern payroll systems and current legislation related to payroll, pensions, and benefits.
- Communication Skills: Ability to articulate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
- Professional Qualifications: Membership of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) is essential. An accounting qualification is desirable but not mandatory.
Personal Attributes:
- Curiosity and Empathy: Display curiosity, humility, and openness to other perspectives.
- Self-Awareness and Confidence: Understand the impact of your actions on others and exhibit professional gravitas and strong influencing skills.
- Supportive Leadership: Enable your team to work at their best, fostering professionalism and high performance.
- Resilience and Integrity: Stay calm under pressure, handle conflicts sensitively, and maintain the integrity of personal data.
Join us at the University of London and lead a dedicated team to achieve excellence in payroll, pensions, and benefits management. Embrace the challenge and make a significant impact on our HR services. Apply now to be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking institution.