Payroll Section Manager (XN06)

Job responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Policy and Service Development

a) Proposes changes to working practices in the Payroll Department

b) Follows payroll procedures/policies and will be asked to comment upon service improvements and changes.

c) Implements new procedures in the Section

d) Gives advice to clients on implementation of new policies and changes in regulations, which have an impact in other areas, relating to NHS Pension Scheme and Payroll.

e) Consults with clients to improve working practices.

Financial and Physical Resources

a) Checks accuracy of work of Section members relating to payments to employees.

b) Responsible for checking accuracy of payroll output to ensure payments are correct which in turn will ensure that budget reports are an accurate reflection of expenditure.

c) Authorised signatory for Removal Expenses

d) Responsible for ensuring adequate staffing levels are available to meet strict deadlines.

Human Resources

a) Day to day management of the Section.

b) Deals with recruitment.

c) Responsible for staff discipline within the Section.

d) Responsible for coordination and organisation of training, both induction and ongoing within the Section or Payroll Office.

e) Identifies training needs for continuing professional development.

f) Conducts staff appraisals and monitors Section members performance.

g) Evaluates and assesses competency of trainees within Payroll to validate grade progression.

h) Responsible for monitoring sickness levels within the Section and counselling officers on their return from sickness.

Information Resources

a) Regularly creates and uses spreadsheets to assist working practices.

b) Produces complex reports for use in client finance and HR departments.

c) Extracts and analyses information from computerised systems to respond to complex queries from employees, Trusts, Section members, clients and outside agencies

d) Responsible for information input to ESR by staff, which is then used to provide budgetary information for Trust Managers, statutory returns to Dept. Of Health and Statutory returns to Inland Revenue.

Research and Development

a) Completes monthly and annual returns to Government Statistical Department relating to employee wages, collective agreements, and client numbers and weekly and monthly payments.

b) Undertakes monthly audits of departmental work to prevent fraud.

c) Keep up to date with developments in I.T. software and hardware and identify where they could enhance procedures or practices within the department. Once identified they are responsible for design, costing and rollout and any proposed development.

Freedom to Act

a) Guided by complex financial policies, procedures, and regulations, with an amount of autonomy relating to HR matters and Section management matters.

b) Prioritises own work and work of staff within the Section to meet strict deadlines for payroll completion, pensions administration and statutory requirements.

c) Assist Section members to prioritise and organise work.

d) Directs and guides staff in Section in matters including delegating and distributing additional work.

e) Acts as lead specialist in NHS Pensions regulations for client management and for employees.

5. THE LEEDS WAY VALUES

Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:

Patient-centred

Collaborative

Fair

Accountable

Empowered

All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values

Additionally, the following are core values which relate specifically to this post:

a) Commitment

b) Excellence

c) Professionalism

d) Partnership

e) Flexibility

f) Integrity

g) Innovation

6. WEST YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF ACUTE TRUSTS (WYAAT)

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

By bringing together the wide range of skills and expertise across West Yorkshire and Harrogate we are working differently, innovating and driving forward change to deliver the highest quality care. By working for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust this is your opportunity to be a part of that change.

WYAAT is the acute sector arm of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, one of the largest integrated care systems in the country. The Partnerships ambition is for everyone to have the best possible health and wellbeing, and the work of WYAAT, and each individual trust, supports that ambition.

7. INFECTION CONTROL

The jobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Infection Control policies, in particular by practising Universal Infection Control Precautions. Hand hygiene must be performed before and after contact with patients and their environment.

8. HEALTH AND SAFETY / RISK MANAGEMENT

All staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service users. This includes complying at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Policies, including Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed security and safer working procedures, and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting system

9. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

10. TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional Development remains a priority. The jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.

11. COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

a) Advises and gives guidance to staff in Section, relating to procedures, statutory regulation and conditions of service and payroll/pension computer systems.

b) Answers complex verbal, written and electronic queries from solicitors, financial institutions, NHS Pensions Agency, employees, Trusts, and bereaved relatives. This often involves using persuasive arguments particularly when dealing with Solicitors in relation to reclaiming significant sums in relation to Third Party Claims, e.g., Road Traffic Accidents.

c) Answers queries both complex and simple from Managers, HR Officers and employees relating to Terms and Conditions of Service, Statutory Payments (Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Sick Pay, Inland Revenue Regulations, NHS Pension Scheme), involving face to face, telephone, written and electronic media.

d) Frequently answers queries from irate or distressed employees, requiring tact, empathy, patience, and calming techniques.

e) Meets with next of kin of deceased employees to give information about NHS Pension benefits payable.

f) Discusses with terminally ill employees NHS pension benefit options.

g) Frequently answers complex queries from, and gives advice to, employees where English is not their first language.

h) Frequently handles escalated queries from irate employees where the payroll officer has been unable to resolve the problem, including reasons for delaying payments and other sensitive issues which can be contentious.

i) Prepares and makes presentations to employees at different Trusts on complex Pension and payroll regulations.

k) To act in an advisory capacity to managers and clients in the absence of the Payroll Manager.

l) Maintain client confidentiality in accordance with the data protection act

12. SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS

i) PHYSICAL EFFORT:

Long periods sitting at workstation.

Handling of stationery, and I.T equipment

ii) MENTAL EFFORT:

a) Frequent requirement for prolonged concentration, controlling payrolls, preparing financial returns, assessing work distribution in Section, checking and processing pensions information, calculating and providing estimates of Pension Benefits to employees, who will then determine future plans on information given.

b) Subject to frequent interruption by telephone and Section members, the result of which can require a change of work pattern. i.e., interruption creates a time demand that has priority over current task, which must be returned to later.

c) Participating in formal disciplinary hearings.

iii) EMOTIONAL EFFORT:

a) Frequent exposure and involvement with angry or distressed employees.

b) Assists in dealing with formal stages of staff performance and disciplinary issues.

c) Occasional exposure to next of kin of deceased employees to explain and give guidance about death benefits and procedures, in highly distressing and emotional circumstances.

d) Occasional exposure to terminally ill employees to give assistance and help on most beneficial options

iv) WORKING CONDITIONS:

a) Uses keyboard and VDU for most of day.

b) Exposure to verbal aggression

c) Working within a stressful environment of workload priorities and deadlines.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in a support role within NHS Payroll offering information and advice to managers and other staff.
• Considerable experience in Payroll.
• Experience of working within an office environment, within a finance discipline which has included experience of a range of accounting areas and financial computer systems

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualifications and Training:IPPM Degree in Pensions/ Payroll Management
• or significant equivalent experience
• NVQ level 3 Bereavement Awareness or equivalent experience
• Significant experience in a support role within NHS Payroll offering information and advice to managers and other staff.
• Considerable experience in Payroll.
• Experience of working within an office environment, within a finance discipline which has included experience of a range of accounting areas and financial computer systems
• Expert knowledge of Excel spreadsheets for reporting and detailed financial calculations.
• Special Knowledge including experience:
• . Expert knowledge of Payroll policies and procedures relevant to the post.
• Expert knowledge of NHS Terms and Conditions of Service.
• Expert knowledge of the ESR Computerised Payroll System
• Expert knowledge of the Pensions Schemes.
• Experience in using Pensions On-line
• An appreciation of the need for consistency and governance, ensuring set procedures and policies are understood and followed.
• An understanding of the culture, objectives and values operating within the Finance Function
• Knowledge and understanding of:
• Computer systems
• Business Planning
• Budget Setting
• Costing
• Benchmarking
• Capital
• Monthly financial reporting
• Behaviours/SkillsTo behave in such a way that embodies the core values required by the finance function thereby demonstrating:
• Commitment
• Excellence
• Professionalism
• Partnership
• Flexibility
• Integrity
• Innovation
• To behave in such a way which demonstrates the core competencies required by the finance function :
• Communicating
• Influencing and Negotiating
• Planning, Monitoring and Controlling
• Analysing Information and Solving Problems
• Making Decisions
• Thinking Strategically
• Focusing on Business and Customers
• Working in and Leading Sections
• Focusing on Development
• Calming Skills to deal with emotional or challenging staff and clients.
• Awareness of equality issues
• Key behaviours at this level include the following:
• A confident, pleasant approach, willing to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues, budget holders and other managers.
• Commitment to behaving honestly, openly, impartially, and fairly.
• Commitment and enthusiasm, with a keen desire to attain high standards.
• Adherence to the need for control, reviewing/auditing progress against pre-defined criteria and ensuring set procedures are followed.
• Contribution towards Section building, coaching, and motivating staff, listening to and acknowledging the contribution of others.
• Commitment to taking responsibility and facilitating the successful achievement of desired outcomes by the Section, facing competing challenges in a calm manner
• Creative and innovative, proposing changes to working practices and procedures, relating to both own area and working with others to redesign and implement local accounting and financial policies/procedures which impact across other areas.
• A service focus, acknowledging the importance of service quality and the maintenance of high professional standards and with the ability to monitor and audit the quality of work, taking any complaints from service users seriously.
• Demonstration of responsibility for resources such as the security of sensitive financial information such as payroll data and the safe handling of cheques.
• Reviews own performance, assessing own strengths and weaknesses, taking corrective action, and identifying areas for personal development
• Practical Skills:
• Good numeracy skills, competent in processing and interpreting figures.
• Ability to work within clearly defined operating policies with little direct supervision, considering established precedent.
• Ability to identify methods to analyse, interpret and present information, considering several options, highlighting errors and discrepancies and performing any necessary financial calculations to allow assessment of the options.
• Ability to enter financial data with speed and accuracy into computerised/paper systems and regularly create more complex financial spreadsheets for own use and for use by others.
• Ability to reconcile financial data and maintain appropriate documentation on file
• Ability to organise/plan work both own and of the Section, ensuring tasks are performed in accordance with set deadlines and that when required, staff are used flexibly to meet priorities. This will involve allocating and reallocating tasks daily.
• Ability to manage a Section of finance support staff on a day-to-day basis, carrying out recruitment, appraisal and training activities.
• Ability to prepare and deliver a range of training to multi skilled staff groups in all aspects of the Payroll and Pensions function.
• Ability to give support, supporting managers and Finance colleagues in the planning of cost-effective services and giving advice
• on more complex Payroll issues.
• Good communication skills, both verbal and written, demonstrating an ability to deal with issues from service users which may be contentious using appropriate negotiation and persuasion skills

Desirable

• Qualifications and Training:
• European Computer Driving Licence (or equivalent)
• Evidence of Managerial/HR short courses /Qualifications
• IT Qualifications/evidence of short courses in Microsoft Office applications
• Staff recruitment experience
• Special Knowledge including experience:
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant Trust policies and procedures