Payroll Technical Lead

Hybrid working
Central London
Permanent Post

Our client is seeking an experienced Payroll Technical Lead to join their busy team on a permanent basis;
Duties include;

• Provide technical leadership to ensure payrolls are processed accurately and within agreed deadlines.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC regulations, PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments and pension legislation.
• Review complex payroll calculations, adjustments and reconciliations.
• Lead on payroll year-end activities including P60s, P11
  
  Ds and statutory reporting requirements.
• Ensure robust audit trails and controls are maintained across all payroll processes.
• LGPS and TPS Pension Administration
• Act as the payroll subject-matter expert for LGPS and TPS pension regulations.
• Ensure pensionable pay calculations are correctly applied and reported.
• Oversee monthly and annual pension returns and submissions to pension administrators.
• Manage complex pension cases including retirements, opt-ins, opt-outs, refunds, AVCs and pension absences.
• Implement changes arising from pension legislation updates and scheme regulations.
• Liaise with pension authorities, auditors and external stakeholders to resolve technical queries.
• Ensure payroll systems are accurately configured in line with statutory legislation, pension regulations and organisational policies.
• Manage payroll system upgrades, patches, testing and implementation of new functionality.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures, technical documentation and system controls.
• Work closely with IT, HR, Finance and external suppliers to resolve system issues and deliver enhancements.
• Monitor payroll interfaces and integrations between Oracle Payroll and third-party applications
• Lead the administration, configuration and maintenance of Oracle Payroll and associated HR/finance systems.
• Allocate workload and monitor team performance against service standards.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching and training to payroll staff.
• Establish a culture of continuous improvement and customer-focused service delivery.
• Support recruitment, induction and performance management activities.
• Investigate and resolve complex payroll and pension-related issues.
• Lead payroll transformation, automation and process improvement initiatives.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to prevent recurring issues.
• Develop management information and reporting to support business decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, compliance and data quality.
• Build strong working relationships with HR, Finance, Pension Administrators, Internal Audit and external suppliers.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll and pensions queries.
• Communicate technical payroll and pension information clearly to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Support internal and external audits and ensure timely implementation of recommendations.
• Extensive experience managing payroll operations within a complex organisation.
• Advanced knowledge of Oracle Payroll systems and payroll system administration.
• Strong understanding of Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) regulations and reporting requirements.
• Detailed knowledge of UK payroll legislation, HMRC regulations and statutory payments.
• Experience of payroll reconciliations, system testing and implementation projects.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Previous experience leading and developing payroll teams.

You will have;

• Lead the technical payroll function, ensuring the accurate, timely and compliant delivery of all payroll services.
• Act as the subject-matter expert for Oracle Payroll, providing system administration, configuration, troubleshooting and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant payroll legislation, HMRC regulations, employment law requirements and pension scheme regulations.
• Oversee the administration and reporting requirements of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), ensuring accurate pensionable pay calculations and returns.
• Manage payroll system upgrades, patches, testing and implementation of legislative and business changes.
• Lead the resolution of complex payroll, pensions and system-related queries and issues.
• Develop and maintain payroll controls, procedures and documentation to support governance and audit requirements.
• Manage payroll reconciliations and statutory reporting, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Build effective relationships with HR, Finance, Pension Administrators, IT teams, system suppliers and external auditors.
• Lead, motivate and develop a team of payroll professionals, promoting high performance and continuous learning.
• Drive process improvement, automation and service enhancement initiatives to improve efficiency and customer experience.
• Produce and analyse payroll and pension management information, identifying trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure payroll data integrity, security and confidentiality are maintained in line…