Payroll/Pension Officer

Job summary

Previous applicants need not apply.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band4 Payroll/Pension Officer to join our team based at Pinderfields Hospital on apermanent basis.

As a Payroll/Pension Officer you will be responsible along with otherteam members for a section of payroll and the day to day processing, inputtingand calculation associated with providing an excellent payroll service.

It isvital that you are reliable, self-motivated, organised and have excellentcommunication, numerical and literate skills. The ability to work to deadlinesand prioritise your workload is also key to this role. You will need to have substantial experience of working in payroll and have good knowledge of ESR andAgenda for Change terms and conditions. At the moment this is a hybrid role andyou will be required to come into the office at least two days per week.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of a teamwithin the Payroll Department to deliver an efficient and effective Payroll andPension service to Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust inaccordance with statutory requirements, and local and National Terms andConditions of Service.

The postholder will have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding ofthe various terms and conditions of service and employment policies and will beconversant with current PAYE, National Insurance, NHS Pension Scheme and AutoEnrolment regulations.

About us

We provide care and support to over half a million people in Wakefield and Kirklees in their homes, in community settings and across our three hospital sites at Pontefract, Dewsbury and Pinderfields (in Wakefield).

Always striving for excellence, we are at the forefront of innovation and research and we invest in teaching and the development of our workforce.

We live by our values of caring, improving, being respectful and maintaining high standards. We listen and learn because we aim to make Mid Yorkshire the best place to work and the best place to receive care.

We have a clear vision, and you could be part of this If you share our values and you want to make a difference to the lives of our patients and their families and carers, we would love to hear from you.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide an accurate payroll and pensionservice to the Trust, ensuring that data is prepared and input into ESR in atimely and accurate manner and within the timetables set within the payrollprocessing calendar, ensuring that all employees are paid in a timely manner. To analyse and interpret complex payments (for example,following pay awards, organisational change, re-gradings, etc). Investigate pay queries and analyse detaileddata to identify errors and discrepancies. Inform individuals of overpayments and negotiate how monies arerecovered. Using under-pinning knowledge ensure theprocessing, correct application and calculation of tax, national insurance,pension, sickness, maternity, paternity and statutory deductions ( court,council tax, child support deductions) etc are accurate and complies withstatutory and organisational requirements escalating and liaising with internal& external bodies where necessary. To advise staff on maternity entitlements and calculatestatutory and occupational maternity pay in accordance with the Trust Policyand HMRC regulations. Accrue arrears on pension contributions andcertain deductions and liaise with the employee on the recovery of theunderpayments. To maintain accurate sickness absence and entitlementrecords for each employee. Advise theemployee and manager of any half and no-pay situations and maintain a deemedpensionable pay record as necessary. Input duty sheets/claims onto ESR for staffnot using the e-rostering system. Check and reconcile such work performed byother officers as deemed necessary by senior payroll staff. Calculateand arrange for manual payments for employees when required, ensuring thecorrect statutory and pension deductions are made and details input onto ESR. Actively investigates any discrepancies whichhave arisen from payment of pay, expenses, and pension satisfactorily explainsindividual pay matters in a professional and tactful manner Providesroutine payroll information and reports to outside agencies, Finance andWorkforce managers as required, in line with confidentiality and securityprocedures To understand the rules and regulations thatrelate to Auto Enrolment and its impact on both employees of the Trust and NHSPension Scheme members To work as part of a small Team, assisting theTeam leader in ensuring that all enquiries from NHS Pensions are answered in atimely manner in accordance with pre-set deadlines via the computer link to theNHS Pensions Agency (POL) and by other means To complete complex calculations requiredfor retirement benefit purposes and giving information to staff when required To ensure all payments are made inaccordance with the relevant terms and conditions of Employment, Agenda forChange handbook, Trust agreements, Pension Scheme Regulations and that allinternal procedures are adhered to in accordance with the Standing FinancialInstitutions, quality standards and Audit requirements. Understand tax implications around the LifeTime Allowance (LTA) and Annual Allowance (AA) affecting in the main high earnings Atthe end of each financial year assist with the distribution of P60s and P11dsto all staff. Ensure changes are made against employeesrecords in line with the ESR guidelines, ensuring that the data held on thesystem is accurately held to enable ease of reporting throughout the Trust onemployees records ensuring the correct and accurate data is extracted whenrequested. Set up new employees onto ESR, correctlysetting up all system details for payments, deductions, bank account, tax code,National Insurance and Pension details. To ensure that changes to employees detailsand pay and any payments made, are done so in line with the correctauthorisation procedures detailed within the department, by means of theTrusts authorised signature list. Upon leaving the Trust ensure that theemployees leaver details are input in a correct and timely manner for all staffleaving the Trust, final payments are calculated correctly and promptly, P45sissued and Pension records updated and close down. Late notification of leaverswill result in complex manual calculations being necessary. Request previous service details fromprevious NHS employers, by means of electronic IAT processing, to ensure theemployee is paid correctly and the correct incremental dates are set, companysick pay history and pension details are brought across where applicable andupdating the previous employment history details. Ensure that both statutory deductions aremade in line with HMRC guidelines and Non-Statutory deductions are made in linewith the relevant legislation and Trust policies. Such deductions include:Income Tax, national Insurance, Pension contributions, lease cars, Unionsubscriptions, Accommodation, Expenses, Student Loans and Court orders etc. Identify all overpayments and deal withthese in accordance with the Trusts overpayment procedures. Prepare an overpayment calculation sheet withthe amount to be recovered. Enter alldata onto the computer system and ensure necessary in house paperwork iscompleted to enable an invoice to be sent out to the employee where necessary.Ensuring the Trusts overpayment procedure is followed at all times. Check and verify payroll and associatedinput/output prior to distribution of payslips and related documentation andcheck exception reports for items of materiality, taking any necessary actionto make good financial discrepancies, which will in turn ensure budget reportsare an accurate reflection of expenditure/income. Give expert advice to staff in regard toIncome Tax, national Insurance and Pension scheme regulations. Undertake regular and systematic checks ofpermanent information held by the computer to ensure that it is valid andcorrect. Adhere to quality standards andcomply with agreed Audit recommendations. Make necessary amendments to NHS PensionScheme records via the NHS Pensions Agency `online website facility. Calculate the pensionable pay figuresfor the NHS Pensions Agency / Pensions Team Leader for the calculation ofscheme members pension benefits. To help resolve queries from managers andbudget holders regarding payroll matters and to assist in more complex issues,giving advice where required. Deal with queries from outside/statutoryagencies with regard to employees or Trust matters, ensuring the dataProtection Act is adhered to at all times. Comply with the requirements of the dataprotections act with regard to confidentiality of pay and personal information. Sortand prioritise work on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Ensure departmental standards/quality levelsare achieved; participate in the development of new standards/quality levels. Provide cover for peaks and troughs in theworkload of the Payroll, and to cover during the absence of colleagues asrequired. Maintain a tidy and organised workstationthat projects the efficient image of the post and the department. Carry out other ad hoc duties as required. To maintain the confidentiality of Trust and employeeinformation and use such information only as authorised for specificpurposes. Report any concerns about theuse of such information to a Payroll Team Leader. Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working with computer software programmes such as Microsoft Office, e-mail and internet. Knowledge of ESR system. Experience of working in a busy office environment and responding to competing demands. Awareness of NHS Terms and Conditions of Service, including Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental. Significant experience of working as a Payroll officer.

Desirable

Experience of ESR system reporting. Experience of using ESR to view and enter employment data and collate information into reports. In depth knowledge and understanding of NHS Terms and Conditions of Service, including Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental.

Qualifications

Essential

Sound educational background (4 GCSEs, grade C or above including Maths). NVQ Level 3 in Payroll or equivalent relevant experience.

Knowledge & Awareness

Essential

Understanding and knowledge of dealing with sensitive and confidential issues, work policies and procedures (Data Protection Act). In depth knowledge and understanding of payroll systems, procedures and current legislation (manual and computerised), including calculating payroll payments from gross to net. Knowledge of statutory regulations PAYE, NIC, SSP, SMP, SAP, SPP.

Desirable

Knowledge of NHS Pension schemes and Auto Enrolment.

Personal Attributes

Essential

A willingness to have a flexible approach to working arrangements and be adaptable according to the demands of the service. A willingness to abide by the Trusts equality and diversity and health and safety policies and procedures.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

Demonstrate good verbal and written communication skills, using tact and diplomacy when required with the ability to make informed decisions. Customer focussed with the ability to deal confidently with difficult and complex issues and resolve satisfactorily. Excellent organisational skills with a proven ability to work on own initiative, organise self, prioritise and plan workloads, work to tight and conflicting deadlines whilst ensuring quality standards. Analytical skills with a high degree of attention to detail. Able to work as part of a team and establish effective working relationships. Able to work with a high level of initiative and be self motivated.

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