Senior Payroll Officer

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

Are you ready to make a real impact in one of London’s most dynamic boroughs? Join Lewisham’s Payroll team and play a pivotal role in ensuring thousands of employees and pensioners are paid accurately and on time. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy building strong customer relationships, this is your chance to shine.

What’s the role?

As Senior Payroll Officer, you’ll be responsible for the accurate and timely payment of Council, School, and Partner company staff, as well as pensioners. You’ll manage complex payroll queries, ensure compliance with legislation, and act as the main contact for your allocated schools. Your expertise will help maintain high service standards and support key projects within the team.

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 seeking a detail-oriented professional with in-depth knowledge of payroll legislation, including Income Tax, NI, SSP, and SMP. You’ll need excellent numeracy, IT, and organisational skills, alongside proven experience in manual payroll calculations, statutory deductions, and using payroll IT systems, ideally within the public sector. Strong communication and customer service abilities are essential, as is the capacity to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
You’ll be adept at problem-solving, building positive relationships, and providing clear advice on payroll issues. A commitment to equality, diversity, and continual professional development is vital. If you’re self-motivated, flexible, and thrive in a collaborative, customer-focused 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

£45,852 to £47,925 per annum (PO2)

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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