Payroll and Rewards Manager
Human Resources Department
36.5 hours per week
Grade 8: £43,414 – £ 51,805 per annum
Aberystwyth, Wales
The Payroll and Rewards Manager will lead the development and delivery of the payroll function of HR services for all customers. Responsible for payroll service delivery, performance and ensuring all activity is in line with statutory and legislative requirements, Management of the Payroll and Pensions team which currently includes three other team members. The post holder is responsible for the payment of more than 2000 employees and pensioners every month and liaising with Human Resources and other University Departments. Responsible for the administration of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and the Aberystwyth University Pension Plan (AUPP).
To make an informal enquiry, please contact Sharon Lilley, Head of Human Resources Services at [email protected].
Appointments are normally made within 4 – 8 weeks of the closing date.
What you’ll do
This job description is subject to review and amendment in the light of the changing needs of the University, to provide appropriate development opportunities and/or the addition of any other reasonable duties.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead and manage the payroll function to ensure the provision of an effective, accurate and timely payroll process with minimum overpayments and errors.
- Ensure a professional payroll service is provided that meets customer needs and delivers cost effective and highly regarded by customers and in line with best practice.
- Lead the payroll team giving direction, managing performance and providing appropriate support.
- Proactively identify process improvements and efficiencies supporting system development, as required.
- Plan and monitor team workloads and allocations, ensuring staff are trained and developed in order that they can fulfil their duties effectively and efficiently and deliver a customer focused service.
- Ensure effective communication channels are in place both within the team and with the university generally in relation to payroll and pension matters.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with partners, external organisations and bodies.
- Develop and test business continuity and disaster recovery plans and step by step procedures.
- Interpret and communicate complex and specialist information including to non- specialists
- Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements of PAYE and pension schemes and to ensure accurate and timely reporting as required such as HM Revenue and Customs Real Time Information and pension scheme returns.
- Develop and implement university wide policy and procedures related to payroll and pensions, liaising with senior management, auditors and other departments where appropriate
- Advise the university on ‘employment status’ issues in accordance with the requirements of HM Revenue and Customs.
- Prepare for audits and ensure actions are acted upon in a timely fashion.
- Liaise with the University Benefits/Pension providers on pension and employee reward matters and disseminating information to managers and staff within the university. To assist the University Executive and Human Resources Department in cases of premature retirement such as redundancy and ill health and to advise on pension implications.
- Develop frameworks for the effective communication of pension and benefits information to all university staff through a variety of methods.
- Ensure the team has a tested step by step guide enabling the University to run a payroll in emergency staff absence situations.
- The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
- The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.
- Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the role.
- Commitment to the University’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post.
- Commitment to personal development and that of staff through the effective use of the University’s Effective Contribution Scheme.
- Any other reasonable duties requested and commensurate with the grade of this role.
Who you are – Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge and Skills required:
Essential
- Experience of working at a supervisory level within a Payroll service
- Practical experience of payroll and pensions processes and compliance
- Excellent knowledge of HMRC, PAYE and NI rules and regulations
- Experience of supporting or managing Payroll and Pensions legislative change (e.g. Auto Enrolment and Real Time Information implementation
- Excellent knowledge and experience of working with HR and payroll
- Experience of communicating in a timely fashion ensuring that information is summarised accurately and provided in a suitable format.
- Understanding of complex and specialist information (relevant to area of work) and interprets and explains this to non-specialists.
- Experience of leading a team
- Strong planning skills to be able to plan the work of the function to ensure that time and resources are used to maximum efficiency
- Able to work to strict deadlines and manage the staff team to adhere to deadlines
- Develops contingency plans to take account of problems, delays or new /conflicting priorities
- Experience of calculating accurate payroll and pension on a monthly basis.
- Experience of delivering exceptional customer service
- Ensures that the service is delivered in line with AU requirements regarding information security, risk management and resilience.
- Support the delivery of the HR/Payroll system to ensure compliance and improve customer service
- Recognises and accurately interprets patterns and trends in data
- Identifies data ‘exceptions and undertakes the appropriate analysis to resolve the issue
- Excellent investigative techniques and ability to analyse findings, define problems and create effective solutions
Desirable
- Professional qualification, e.g. CIPP and/or equivalent level of experience working within a large, multidisciplinary organisation
- Oral (spoken) and Written Welsh Level C1.*
*More information on Welsh Language Levels can be found at:
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/hr/policy-and-procedure/welsh-standards/
How to apply
To promote a flexible workforce, the University will consider applications from individuals seeking full time, part time, job share, or term time only working arrangements.
Applications for this role must be made through jobs.aber.ac.uk. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.
Benefits
- Flexible working policy
- 5 – hour week for full-time roles
- Generous leave entitlements – 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays and university closed days
- Commitment to Professional Development
- Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension schemes
- Staff recognition and reward schemes
- Opportunity to learn the Welsh language for free
- Staff relocation bursary
- Maternity, Paternity, Parental and Adoption Leave
- Staff discount for gym facilities, hospitality and retail on campus.
Please keep reading
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities and in particular, those that are currently underrepresented in our workforce. This includes but is not limited to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities, and female candidates.
We are a Bilingual Institution which complies with the Welsh Language Standards and is committed to Equal Opportunities. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.
Employment Visa:
We welcome international applicants who are eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker Route.
Under the points-based system, this role meets the criteria to be sponsored by AU for an SWR application. Please be advised that AU will only support the Certificate of Sponsorship for any employment visas and will not support the payment of the employment visa for the offered candidate and/or dependants.
Any prospective candidates coming to work for AU under the SWR will require a minimum of 70 points, made up of the following:
| Skilled Worker Route Points-Based System | Points | Meets (Yes / No) | |
| Mandatory / Non-tradeable Criteria (50 points) | A job offer from a UK licensed sponsor | 20 points | Yes |
| Job is above the minimum sponsorable skill level | 20 points | Yes | |
| Appointed candidate to have appropriate knowledge of the English language* | 10 points | Yes | |
| Total = 50 points | |||
| Tradeable Criteria (dependent on candidate appointed) | Salary meets minimum threshold | 20 points | |
| The candidate holds a PhD in a subject relevant to the job | 10 points | ||
| The candidate holds a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job | 20 points | ||
| The advertised role is on the UK Shortage Occupation List (SOL) | 20 points |
*Appropriate knowledge is classed as the following:
- A national of a majority English speaking country
- Having an academic degree taught in English (if an overseas degree, must be verified by NARIC)
- Completing and passing an English language test at Level B1 or above.
For more information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa