The Payroll Specialist plays a key role within Northern Powergrid’s Payroll team, ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of payroll for colleagues across the business — including operational field staff, control room teams, engineers, craft colleagues, and office‑based employees.
This role supports Northern Powergrid’s commitment to fairness, compliance, and excellent colleague experience by ensuring payroll accuracy, adherence to HMRC and UK employment legislation, and alignment with Northern Powergrid’s collective bargaining agreements and internal policies. The postholder works closely with HR, Finance. Internal/External Auditors and line managers.
Along with a competitive salary of between £30,000 - £40,000 we also offer great benefits such as;
* Up to 10% annual performance bonus
* Enrolment into our double-matched pension scheme
* 25 days holiday (rising with service) plus bank holidays
* Excellent opportunities for career growth
Key Responsibilities
* Process the monthly payroll for approximately 3,000 Northern Powergrid colleagues, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in line with internal deadlines and audit standards.
* Work closely with People Services to administer pay changes such as starters, leavers, contractual changes, allowances, and absence‑related adjustments.
* Implement annual pay awards in line with negotiated collective bargaining agreements and company policy.
* Administer complex pay elements including operational allowances, overtime, standby, call‑out, and disturbance payments for field‑ and shift‑based staff.
* Maintain and administer the company car scheme, including accurate Benefit‑in‑Kind calculations and HMRC compliance.
* Ensure strict compliance with UK employment legislation, HMRC rules, pension scheme requirements, and trade union agreements.
* Calculate statutory payments and deductions such as Income Tax, National Insurance, SSP, SMP, SAP, and SPP.
* Prepare and validate payroll reports for internal stakeholders, external auditors, Finance, and regulatory reviews.
* Lead on year‑end activities, including P60s, P45s, HMRC submissions and data integrity checks.
* Contribute to continuous improvement including system updates and supporting the organisation’s transition from Oracle E‑Business Suite to Oracle Cloud.
Personal Attributes
* Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality at all times.
* Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, capable of navigating complex and varied pay structures.
* Adaptable and resilient, able to respond to regulatory changes and evolving business requirements.
* A collaborative team player, able to work across People Services, Finance, and Operations to deliver a compliant and colleague‑focused payroll service.
Skills & Qualifications
* Experience using Oracle E‑Business Suite (Northern Powergrid’s current system) or similar
* Proven experience in payroll administration within a large, multi‑site organisation.
* Strong understanding of UK employment law, HMRC regulations and statutory payments (SSP, SMP, SAP, SPP).
* Experience of complex terms and conditions and multiple payrolls.
* High degree of numerical accuracy and attention to detail.
* Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
* Effective communication skills, able to work collaboratively with HR, Finance, Operations, and trade union representatives.
* Proficiency with payroll or ERP systems in medium‑ or large‑scale organisations.
* Experience supporting or preparing for transformation projects, particularly transitions from Oracle E‑Business Suite to Oracle Cloud.
* Experience working with payroll in a unionised environment and applying collective bargaining agreements.
* Background in utilities, energy, engineering, or other complex industrial environments.
* Experience producing audit‑ready payroll reports and supporting internal/external audits.
* Experience leading or supervising a team, or supporting team leadership activities within a payroll or HR function.
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