Payroll Officer

Interim Payroll Manager (3-Month Contract)
We are seeking an experienced and highly capable Interim Payroll Manager to join our client’s Finance team on a 3-month contract.
This is a specialist role within a fast-paced and demanding environment, requiring an individual with extensive payroll knowledge who can take full ownership of the payroll function, ensure accurate and timely payments, and provide effective leadership to payroll administration staff.

About the Role
Reporting to the Finance team, you will manage the organisation's payroll function in its entirety, ensuring that payroll and fee-paid contracts are administered efficiently and accurately in line with contractual obligations and legislative requirements.

You will work largely autonomously while maintaining close working relationships with Finance, Human Resources, departmental managers, employees and external agencies.

The payroll operation includes:

• Approximately 400 employees on a standard monthly payroll
• Between 600 and 900 part-time employees paid monthly via electronic timesheets
• Around 100 fee-paid contracts processed through PAYE
• Around 200 fee-paid contracts processed via the purchase ledger

You will also provide line management and support to a Payroll Administrator, ensuring workloads are managed effectively and service standards are maintained.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and process the full end-to-end payroll cycle for all employee groups and fee-paid contracts
• Prepare, verify and input all payroll-related information, maintaining accurate payroll records and statutory returns
• Process payroll payment files through BACS, ensuring all payments are authorised and submitted within required timescales
• Reconcile payroll transactions, including net pay, PAYE, National Insurance, pension contributions and other payroll-related accounts
• Prepare monthly payroll reconciliations to support financial reporting and year-end audit requirements
• Liaise closely with Human Resources regarding starters, leavers, contractual changes and employment-related matters
• Provide advice and guidance to staff on payroll, pensions, taxation, timesheets and employment status queries
• Respond to payroll-related enquiries from managers, employees and external organisations
• Process pay awards, salary increments and contractual variations
• Complete statutory and ad hoc returns as required
• Produce payroll analyses and management information to support Finance reporting requirements
• Maintain detailed payroll records and departmental analyses
• Support payroll system upgrades, testing and implementation projects
• Work with Finance colleagues and external providers on payroll system improvements and developments
• Ensure compliance with payroll legislation and maintain up-to-date professional knowledge
• Line manage the Payroll Administrator, including workload allocation, performance management, annual reviews and absence management
• Undertake any other duties reasonably required to support the effective operation of the payroll function 

Essential Requirements
We are looking for a candidate who can demonstrate:

• Significant experience managing full end-to-end payroll operations
• Experience processing complex payrolls involving permanent employees, part-time workers and fee-paid contracts
• Strong knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, pensions and payroll legislation
• Experience operating and maintaining payroll and accounting systems
• Experience of payroll reconciliations and working with finance ledger systems
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel
• Ability to identify and resolve payroll system and processing issues
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads and meet strict deadlines
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information with discretion
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and take ownership of the payroll function
• Previous experience managing or supervising payroll staff

Desirable Requirements

• Payroll or finance-related qualification
• Experience of payroll system implementation or migration projects
• Experience within the Higher Education, public sector, arts or cultural sectors
• Experience processing payments for freelance or fee-paid workers

Contract Details

• Contract Length: 3 months
• Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
• Pay: £20.81 per hour
• Location: Glasgow City Centre - Hybrid - 3 days per week in the office, increasing to 5 days per week during the handover period

This opportunity would suit an experienced payroll professional who can quickly establish themselves within a complex payroll environment and provide immediate operational leadership and expertise.