Finance Assistant - Payroll

Job Number

BU04039

School/Department

Finance Services

Grade

4

Contract Duration

Permanent

Responsible to

Payroll Supervisor

Purpose of the Job

• To work as a member of the Payroll team with shared responsibility for providing a flexible and responsive payroll service including being the first point of contact for routine payroll queries.
• To provide administrative support within the team, completing a range of routine tasks to meet operational and customer service requirements.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Generic Duties

• Work closely with other team members to undertake a variety of Payroll administration tasks as directed, sharing responsibility for providing a flexible and responsive payroll service.
• To be an active member of the wider Finance team, building & maintaining good working relationships with other members of the team in to ensure an understanding of priorities and deadlines.
• Contribute to the development of, and work to, agreed service standards for the team.

Specific Functional duties

• Deal with day- to - day routine Payroll enquiries in an accurate, timely and sensitive manner, escalating more complex issues to the Payroll Supervisor.
• Undertake checking and validation of the iTrent payroll system.
• Liaise with Human Resources and other departments to ensure queries relating to the monthly payroll are resolved.
• Checking the tax, national insurance and other statutory payment and deductions are calculated correctly.
• Perform pre-payroll audit checks on all input data.
• Answer enquiries from individuals regarding their payments.
• Work closely with other team members to undertake a variety of payroll and pensions administration tasks as directed, sharing responsibility for providing a flexible and responsive payroll service.
• Undertake other associated payroll or financial administration as requested.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
• The post holder will be expected to comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
• The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/her self and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs at grades A* - C (incl. English and Maths) or NVQ level 2 in a relevant subject area or possess equivalent experience

Desirable

• NVQ level 3 in a relevant subject area
• ECDL Certificate

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• Experience of working within a Finance function
• Experience of learning new workplace processes and adapting to changes in operational procedures

Desirable

• Proven ability to communicate effectively and professionally with a wide range of people
• Knowledge of the iTrent payroll system

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel etc) and payroll software system
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• Is able to understand, use and explain technical terms commonly used in own area of work
• Prioritises work to achieve objectives to the standards expected

Desirable

• Ability to communicate information clearly and confirm that the recipient has understood
• Ability to present written information clearly, accurately, and in a structured format
• Ability to plan daily tasks to meet deadlines
• Experience of handling customer queries efficiently, including identifying when to escalate or redirect issues to the correct department

Other

Essential

• Responds appropriately to queries and requests ensuring that information is conveyed accurately and promptly
• Contributes to the work of the team

Desirable

• The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post
• A strong commitment to customer service and a proven track record of handling customer interactions in a polite, helpful, and professional manner
• A flexible approach to teamwork, with a willingness to support colleagues and assist with extra tasks during busy periods

General

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture.

The University has recently achieved a Race Equality Charter Bronze award reflecting our commitment to building an inclusive and equitable society for black, Asian and minoritised ethnic staff.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.