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Job summary

The Senior Payroll and Pensions Manager has day to day operational responsibility for the accurate and timely delivery of payroll services for 6,500 staff in the Welsh Government, the Welsh Revenue Authority and our arms’ length bodies Estyn and Qualifications Wales. They ensure compliance with UK legislation, HMRC requirements, pension regulations, and tax law while managing and mitigating risks and ensuring continuous improvements to our process and the service we deliver.

Job description

The role-holder will report to the Head of Payroll and Pensions and support and deputise for them as needed. As a qualified and experienced payroll specialist, they will line manage two HEO Payroll Managers and two HEO Payroll Data Analysts and quality assure the work of the teams managed by those four HEOs. They will also work closely with the SEO Payroll Contract Improvement Manager to ensure effective use of our existing systems and be a key part of work to transition to new payroll and HR information systems.

Person specification

• Manage all payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely monthly payroll delivery for Welsh Government and the Welsh Revenue Authority and our arms’ length bodies Estyn and Qualifications Wales – 6,500 staff across four payrolls and two pension schemes.
• Ensure compliance with UK legislation, HMRC rules, pension regulations, and internal HR policies.
• Fully reconcile the four payrolls on a regular basis.
• Quality assure the work of the team, e.g. checking calculations, providing training on new processes or legislation, being the escalation point and arbiter in discussions with customers.
• Resolve or (where needed) escalate complex payroll incidents and casework, address legacy errors and work with partners e.g. other teams within WG, internal and external auditors, Cabinet Office, HMRC and our pension providers to ensure resolution for customers.
• Maintain and manage the WG’s Operating Level Agreement with the organisations we provide a payroll and pensions service to – Estyn, Qualifications Wales and the Welsh Revenue Authority. Regularly review and amend the OLA with the organisations.
• Develop and maintain payroll business continuity plans, working closely with colleagues across the organisation to identify anything e.g. changes to IT infrastructure, upgrades etc that could impact payroll delivery and work with them to ensure continuity of service.
• Maintain robust compliance and control measures to manage payroll-related risks, including fraud prevention. Lead on compliance with data protection regulations and fraud prevention e.g. maintaining working knowledge of current legislation and best practice, completing regular corporate returns on data and fraud risks, escalating and mitigating risks as appropriate.
• Provide payroll-related evidence to support annual financial accounts, including IR35 compliance and scrutiny of higher earners.
• Work with the payroll data analysts and wider to team to identify and put in place process and service improvements and train the team as needed.
• Work with the Payroll Contract Improvement Manager to identify any issues with systems or service delivery by our payroll provider and collaborate with them on resolving issues.
• Support and develop a skilled payroll team, ensuring professional development, technical upskilling as well as ensuring the wellbeing of the team in a high-pressure environment.
• Lead payroll information sessions, run payroll surgeries, contribute to staff induction as required with a view to increasing staff understanding and awareness of pay and contributing to wider objectives around improving the financial wellbeing of our workforce.
• Support and (as needed) deputise for the Head of Payroll and Pensions.
• Ad-hoc support to the Head of Payroll and Pensions on payroll elements of TUPE and COSOP transfer in / out of the organisation and other organisation-wide schemes e.g. VES as required.

Qualifications

The post holder must have a (or working towards) Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) qualification at degree level or above, complemented by active continuous professional development and ongoing professional accreditation.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,675, Welsh Government contributes £13,811 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

The selection process and stages are:

Number of Stages:2 stage processStage 1Application FormStage 2Interview

The post holder must have a (or working towards) Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) qualification at degree level or above, complemented by active continuous professional development and ongoing professional accreditation. They should have substantial payroll expertise in managing large-scale and complex payroll services.

In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience 2: Experience of working in or supervising a large-scale and complex payroll service, ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory and security requirements. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift.

In the event of two or more candidates having the same total score at interview the panel will consider:

1. Experience 1 - Fully Qualified CIPP at degree level or above.
2. Experience 1 - Part qualified (working towards) CIPP at degree level or above.
3. Experience 2 - Assessment score
4. Experience 2 - Experience of working in or supervising a large-scale and complex payroll service, ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory and security requirements.

A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.

A 60-minute in person assessment on Experience 2: ‘Complex Payroll Scenarios’ will be required at ‘Stage 2 – 'pre-interview’ prior to interview. More information will be provided in the invitations to that stage.

Assessments and interviews will be undertaken in person at the Cardiff Office (Cathays Park 2). Further details will be provided to successful candidates.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Payroll and Pensions
• Email : sharedservicehelpdesk@gov.wales

Recruitment team

• Email : sharedservicehelpdesk@gov.wales

Further information

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles on the Commission's website.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales. Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk