Payroll Administrator


Company:	Hays Specialist Recruitment
Salary:	£18 to £21 an hour
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	City of London, EC2V 6DN
Working pattern:	Hybrid - 3 days remote
Job type:	Temporary
Posting date:	20 Oct 2026
Closing date:	10 Nov 2026

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Summary

Central London

Hybrid working

We are seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Administrator to support the processing of a large and diverse payroll within an education environment. This role offers the opportunity to work with a wide range of employee groups, develop your payroll expertise, and contribute to a service that directly supports thousands of staff members.

Responsibilities include;

Process end-to-end payroll transactions for a high-volume monthly payroll.

Administer starter, leaver, and employee change processes, ensuring all records are updated accurately.

Input and validate payroll data including salary changes, contractual amendments, overtime, casual hours, allowances, deductions, and statutory payments.

Calculate and process SSP, SMP, SPP, Shared Parental Pay, and other statutory payments.

Administer pension contributions and salary sacrifice schemes in line with university policies.

Reconcile payroll reports and identify discrepancies prior to payroll submission.

Ensure compliance with HMRC legislation, payroll regulations, and internal audit requirements.

Respond to payroll queries from employees, managers, and HR teams in a professional and timely manner.

Maintain accurate payroll records and employee data within HR and payroll systems.

Support payroll year-end processes including P60s, P11Ds, and statutory reporting.

Assist with payroll reconciliations, financial reporting, and monthly payroll journals.

Process attachment of earnings orders, student loan deductions, and court orders.

Work closely with HR to ensure accurate transfer of employee information.

Support payroll testing and implementation of system upgrades and process improvements.

Produce payroll reports and management information as required.

Ensure confidentiality of employee data and compliance with GDPR requirements.

Essential Skills & Experience required;

Previous payroll administration experience within a high-volume payroll environment.

Strong knowledge of payroll legislation, tax, National Insurance, pensions, and statutory payments.

Experience processing payroll for 1,000+ employees.

Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.

Strong Excel skills including lookups, Pivot Tables, and data reconciliation.

Experience using integrated HR and Payroll systems.

Ability to manage competing deadlines and work under pressure during payroll cycles.

Strong customer service and communication skills.

Desirable

Experience within Higher Education, Education, NHS, or Public Sector payroll.

Knowledge of LGPS, USS, or Teachers' Pension Schemes.

Experience using Midland iTrent, Oracle, SAP, or ResourceLink.

CIPP qualification or working towards payroll accreditation.

If you have all of the above, and available immediately to start a new role on a temporary basis until the end of the year, then please apply now!

No sponsorship available for this post

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

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