Finance & Payroll Shared Services Manager

A multi-academy trust of 11 schools in the Midlands is seeking a Finance & Shared Services Payroll Manager for a full-time, permanent role.

The salary offered is circa £60k per annum and the role will be predominantly based onsite at the Trust’s central office in Kettering. Once established in the role there may be the opportunity to work part of the week remotely / from home – however initially the role needs to be based 5 days per week in the office in Kettering.

The organisation has a market leading pension and a great benefits package.

The 11 schools in the Trust are spread across Kettering, Corby, Wisbech and the surrounding areas, and they are moving towards a ‘Shared Services’ approach for Finance & Payroll.

Currently the Finance & Payroll functions are separate, and this position manages 2 Payroll Administrators and 4 Finance Assistants. The position includes managing the payroll team and the outsourced payroll function/provider. The Trust has around 1100 staff. It is essential that applicants have demonstrable experience managing a similar outsourced payroll function and understand the challenges involved with liaising with an external provider. In addition the role will manage the Financial Administration function of the Trust – this involves managing staff in the central finance team who are responsible for payments, invoicing and reporting etc.

The ideal candidate will have a bookkeeping background, but with strong experience in managing a payroll function. Experience running a ‘shared services; department including both financial processing and payroll would be a huge advantage.

Public sector or education sector experience is useful but not essential.

Key duties include:

• Actively review and develop new processes, service standards and delivery expectation to ensure an efficient payroll and finance administration operation
• Lead contact for the outsourced payroll provider, in conjunction with the Head of People
• Act as the contact for all pension administration issues and returns and compliance to auto enrolment requirements
• Lead the preparation and delivery of the monthly payroll
• Model costs of structures current and new, modelling pay increases, job Family and job evaluation costings through the team
• Oversee the preparation of and submission of statutory and regulatory returns including RTI, P11Ds etc.
• Working collaboratively with the people and all colleagues within he Finance function to provide invoice payments, supplier information and salary reports to enable ongoing and well-informed financial decision making
• Produce annual gender pay gap report, equal pay reports, pay progression and other management information as and when required including scenario planning
• Monitor apprenticeship levy payments and usage, working closely with the people team to ensure it is effectively accessed and utilised
• Undertake day-to-day leadership, development, motivation and performance management of all members of your team
• Maintain accurate finance and payroll records, audit trails and decision making ensuring that both internal and external audits are enabled to provide levels of substantial assurance in line with rules on financial probity and integrity

Candidate requirements:

• Experience of leading and managing a centralised shared service approach – both financial administration & payroll
• Desirable to posses experience/ understanding of the education sector and school operations
• Qualified through relevant body such as Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) (desirable)
• Experience of pension schemes and auto enrolment
• May be Part qualified ACCA/CIMA or similar
• Excellent skills in developing new and improved processes for administration, ensuring effective processing

Closing date: ASAP / Ongoing

Please send your CV for immediate consideration