Short term contracting opportunity - Sept/Oct 2026 - Continuous improvement payroll consultant - Public sector
Your new company
This public sector organisation, based in Sheffield, provides essential frontline services to the local community. With a strong focus on operational excellence and continuous improvement, the organisation is investing in modernising and strengthening its core payroll processes to support a complex, high-volume workforce. Collaboration across Finance, HR, IT and Payroll is central to how the organisation delivers effective and compliant services.
Your new role
As a Payroll Continuous Improvement / Process Mapping Specialist, you will lead a focused discovery and improvement project within a highly complex payroll environment. The organisation operates multiple pay cycles (weekly and monthly) with significant variable pay, overtime and allowances, supported by several in-house and standalone systems.
You will plan and deliver an intensive programme of work, including:
* Meeting key stakeholders across Payroll, HR, Finance and IT/Systems
* Mapping the current end-to-end (“as is”) payroll process, clarifying roles, responsibilities and system touchpoints
* Designing and documenting the future state (“to be”) processes, applying Lean / Six Sigma principles
* Identifying inefficiencies, risks and duplication across systems including payroll, HR and incident reporting
* Developing a proof of concept to demonstrate how proposed changes would improve accuracy, efficiency and control
* Producing a clear, prioritised action plan for implementation
* Facilitating workshops with operational teams to validate findings and build engagement
What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
* Proven experience delivering payroll or workforce process improvement projects within complex environments
* Strong knowledge of Lean / Six Sigma or continuous improvement methodologies
* Demonstrable experience of end-to-end process mapping (“as is” / “to be”)
* An understanding of payroll complexity, including variable pay, overtime, multiple pay frequencies and manual inputs
* Experience working across HR, Finance, IT and Payroll functions
* Excellent facilitation skills, with confidence running workshops and engaging operational teams
* The ability to translate process issues into practical, implementable recommendations
* Experience within the public sector or similarly regulated environments (desirable)
What you'll get in return
In return, you’ll receive:
* The opportunity to deliver a high-impact, visible improvement project
* A collaborative, professional public sector environment
* The chance to shape future payroll processes and influence long-term change
* Competitive day rate / salary, dependent on experience
* A Sheffield based role with clear scope, structure and stakeholder access
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
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