Payroll Assistant

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland. How’s this for job satisfaction? At Scottish Water, we look after Scotland’s most precious natural resource. From source to tap, we’re safeguarding Scotland’s reputation for refreshingly pure water and caring for our environment at the same time. If making a positive difference to people, communities and the environment sounds like something you'd enjoy, we'd love to hear from you.

The Scottish Water Payroll team are looking to recruit a Payroll Assistant to join the team. The Payroll Team is based in Inverness.

• You will play a key role in ensuring that salaries for approximately 5,000 employees each month, along with around 13,000 overtime and expense claims annually, are processed accurately, on time, and in full compliance with HMRC statutory legislation, Scottish Water policies, and pension regulations.
• Working as part of the Payroll Team, you will help deliver a high-quality payroll service by adhering to strict deadlines, analysing pay variances, and identifying, investigating, and resolving payroll anomalies before payments are made.
• You will also provide excellent customer service by responding to employee queries relating to salary payments and payroll matters, ensuring issues are handled professionally and efficiently.

• While previous payroll experience would be beneficial, it is not essential as full training can be provided. We encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every requirement but are eager to learn and develop their skills.
• Ideally, you will have an understanding of current statutory payroll legislation and regulations, including knowledge of Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) regulations.
• You will be numerically confident with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, possess strong customer service and communication skills, and have excellent analytical abilities with a keen eye for detail.
• Strong organisational and multitasking skills are essential, along with the ability to work accurately and effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment.

• 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays).
• You can even buy five more if you need a little extra time.
• You can also take paid time off to volunteer in your community.
• Family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave.
• We embrace flexible working. We operate Balanced Hybrid working at Scottish Water and we ask people to work half their time in a Scottish Water location.
• For your future, there’s our pension (the ‘know-what-you’ll-get-when-you-retire’ kind), as well as life assurance.
• You will participate in a company bonus scheme.
• Access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.

This role will be a Grade 4. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £31,640. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £36,460. We’ll be accepting applications until midnight on the 15th September 2026. The Payroll Team is based in Inverness.

Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional, and will be confirmed on completion of our pre‑employment screening, e.g. referencing, criminal record checks, licence checks, etc. Screening is conducted on our behalf by a third party, and must be completed before your start date. Don’t worry - we’ll only start these checks once you’ve accepted an offer.

Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you’re interested in this job but don’t tick all the boxes, apply anyway! We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a…