People Operations & Payroll Advisor
We’re one of the UK’s leading providers of mental health services, working both privately and in partnership with the NHS to support people and families facing emotional and psychological difficulties. Demand for mental health support has never been higher and we’re scaling fast to meet it. As we grow, we’re building a brilliant, data driven, passionate team to help us deliver high-quality care to even more patients.
Join us as the driving force behind our monthly payroll cycle, where you'll take ownership, build strong partnerships, and keep everything running seamlessly for our people. In this pivotal role, you’ll champion accuracy, streamline processes, and ensure our outsourced payroll provider delivers at the highest standard. You’ll also help shape a stronger, more resilient People Operations function by upskilling colleagues and refining the processes that keep our organisation moving. If you love improving systems, collaborating across teams, and making a real impact on the employee experience, this role is for you.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Ownership
* Lead and coordinate the full monthly payroll cycle, serving as the main point of contact for the managed payroll service provider.
* Prepare, validate, and submit all payroll inputs, including starters, leavers, contractual changes, absence data, statutory payments (e.g., SSP), allowances and deductions.
* Ensure all employee information in HiBob is accurate, running pre-payroll data checks and resolving issues proactively.
* Review and reconcile payroll output reports, ensuring accuracy before passing for final approval.
* Investigate and resolve discrepancies by working closely with the managed payroll provider.
* Shape and strengthen the relationship with the payroll provider by clarifying expectations, confirming responsibilities, and embedding consistent ways of working.
* Document the full monthly payroll process, ensuring it is comprehensive, up to date, and easily followed by others.
* Manage payroll-related queries, providing effective and timely responses via the ticketing system.
* Maintain accurate payroll records aligned to audit, HMRC and GDPR requirements.
Building Operational Resilience & Upskilling Others
To ensure payroll is never a single point of failure:
* Upskill the People Ops Administrators in delegated payroll tasks.
* Provide clear guidance, run informal training sessions, and support others to build confidence in payroll fundamentals.
* Where appropriate, allocate portions of the payroll process to others, ensuring accurate and timely delivery.
* Create and maintain payroll SOPs, checklists and documentation that enable seamless cover.
* Promote a culture of cross-skilling and shared ownership across the team.
Partnering With People Partners & Enabling Line Managers
* Work collaboratively with People Partners to improve line manager capability around payroll-related processes.
* Help ensure upstream HR processes are followed accurately and on time, such as: sickness and absence reporting, fixed-term contract end-date management, timesheet or hours submissions and approval and escalation points.
* Support People Partners in identifying recurring issues or gaps in manager understanding, recommending solutions and improvements.
* Ensure processes are designed and documented to prevent payroll-impacting delays or errors.
* Provide insight and guidance that helps People Partners advise managers proactively rather than reactively.
HR Operations Support
When not in peak payroll workflow:
* Process employee lifecycle activities such as contractual changes, leavers and updates.
* Support onboarding for employed staff, including producing contracts and compliance checks.
* Monitor the People Ops inbox and triage or resolve queries.
* Support audit activity, data cleansing tasks and process improvement initiatives.
* Work with the People Ops Manager to ensure consistency and quality across administrative processes.
Essential Qualifications & Experience
* Experience in payroll administration with a managed service payroll provider.
* Experience preparing payroll inputs and reviewing outputs.
* Understanding of statutory payroll rules, including SSP calculations.
* Confident using HR or payroll systems.
Remuneration & Benefits
* 25 days paid holiday (increasing with service to 28 days) plus bank holidays.
* A day off for your birthday.
* Healthcare Cash Plan.
* Benefits Platform.
* Life Assurance.
* Discount Vouchers.
* Opportunities to take part in charitable events.
* Access to a Wellbeing portal and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
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Equal Opportunities Employer DBS Check Requirements
At Clinical Partners we are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background, race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and strive to provide a supportive and respectful environment for all employees.
DBS Check Requirements
Please note that this position requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of our commitment to safeguarding and ensuring the safety of our clients and staff. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a DBS check before commencing employment.