Payroll Team Leader

Job Description

Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities!

We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

Introduction

As Payroll Team Leader at the London Borough of Lewisham, you’ll make a real, measurable impact by ensuring 6,500 employees, including 1,500 teaching staff and 8,000 pensioners are paid accurately and on time. You’ll lead a skilled team of Senior Payroll Officers, own the payroll run end‑to‑end, and be the go‑to expert for complex calculations and queries. If you thrive on precision, people leadership and improving services, this is your opportunity to shape a high‑performing, customer‑focused payroll function at scale.

In this role, you’ll champion compliance and continuous improvement, liaising with HMRC, schools and partner organisations, optimising workflows, and driving down error rates. You’ll balance deadlines with quality, interpret evolving legislation, and strengthen our Service Level Agreements, all while developing your team and supporting an inclusive, diverse workplace. Step up and lead the engine room that keeps Lewisham moving.

What’s the role?

You’ll lead a dedicated team to deliver accurate, timely payroll for thousands of employees and pensioners, tackling complex calculations and resolving queries with confidence. This is your chance to drive service excellence, shape best practices, and build strong relationships with schools and partner organisations, all while championing compliance and continuous improvement. If you’re ready to make a real difference in a dynamic, people-focused environment, this is the role for you.

What’s in it for you?

Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for a confident leader with expert payroll knowledge, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to communicate clearly with a range of stakeholders. You’ll need excellent organisational abilities, high numeracy and IT proficiency, and a customer-focused approach. If you’re committed to continuous improvement and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we want to hear from you.

Location

The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, London, SE6 4RU but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.

Special conditions

The recruitment process is anonymous, and we don’t accept CV’s.

Applicant handbook - please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.

For an informal discussion about this job, please contact Shida Ashrafi on 0208 314 6351.

Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification
Salary

£52,269 to £54,360 per annum (PO4)

N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works, which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email JobsAndSkills@lewisham.gov.uk and an advisor will be in touch with you.

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.

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