Payroll Specialist - Systems Implementation & Transformation

Payroll Specialist - Systems Implementation & Transformation

Location: Walsall

HR & Payroll Team at The Mercian Trust

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist, hands on payroll expertise to support procurement, business readiness, implementation and optimisation of a Payroll and HR system and outsourced payroll service.
• Act as the Trust's payroll and HR client side representative throughout the procurement and mobilisation project, ensuring operational payroll and HR requirements, controls and user needs are understood, tested and embedded.
• Support the accurate delivery of the Trust's monthly payroll and use practical payroll experience to inform system requirements, supplier evaluation and process improvement.
• Bridge operational payroll delivery and strategic transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Payroll Operations: support the existing payroll team with delivery, checking and reconciliation of the monthly payroll to ensure accuracy, timeliness, compliance and continuity of service.
• Apply practical experience of managing payroll operations to identify issues, resolve queries, support exception reporting and ensure effective payroll controls.
• Payroll & HR System Procurement Support: work alongside the Director of People and OD to support the tender evaluation process.
• Implementation & Mobilisation: act as a key payroll subject matter expert and user representative during system implementation, mobilisation and onboarding.
• Process Review & Improvement: undertake a full review of current payroll and HR processes.
• Risk, Compliance & Governance: identify and mitigate payroll risks, including overpayments, contractual changes, compliance gaps.
• Stakeholder Support: provide guidance on payroll implications of HR decisions (e.g. contracts, changes, restructures).

Key Deliverables

• Continuity of accurate monthly payroll delivery.
• Successful procurement support with robust evaluation input.
• Business readiness for a go live date of 1 April 2027.
• Clean and validated data migration to the new system.
• Full testing and operational payroll at go live (April 2027).
• Documented, standardised payroll processes aligned to the new system.

Qualifications and Skills

• Relevant payroll qualification (e.g. CIPP) or equivalent experience.
• Strong technical payroll expertise and attention to detail.
• Ability to operate confidently as both a hands on payroll practitioner and a project facing payroll lead.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex payroll legislation.
• Strong analytical skills (data validation, error identification).
• In depth knowledge of HMRC payroll legislation (RTI, PAYE, statutory payments), TPS and LGPS pension schemes, HR and payroll information systems, and UK GDPR in employee data management.

Benefits

• Financial, Health and Lifestyle benefits.
• Discounts on everyday purchases (Eden Red).
• Comprehensive free of charge health plan (UK Health Care).
• Cycle to work scheme via Halfords.
• Access to the Blue Light Card.
• Professionally relevant CPD and other benefits.

Pay range: Scale SCP £49,282 - £54,495. Fixed term contract for 12 months.

The Mercian Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults, and all appointments are subject to enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks and satisfactory references.

The Mercian Trust is also committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.