Assistant Payroll Manager

apetito; Trowbridge; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food supplier in Trowbridge seeks an experienced payroll professional to lead their Payroll team. In this full-time role, you will oversee payroll processing, handle complex queries, and support a team while ensuring compliance with legislation. Ideal candidates have substantial payroll experience, are CIPP qualified or working towards it, and possess excellent team management and Microsoft Excel skills. The position offers numerous benefits including competitive salary, holiday options, and incentives for performance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Discretionary annual bonus scheme

Employer matched pension contributions

Life assurance scheme

Subsidised canteen

Free parking

Employee benefits through Perkbox

Qualifications

• Proven end-to-end payroll experience.
• Experience administering payroll systems.
• Knowledge of statutory payments and tax calculations.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Payroll Manager.
• Assist with weekly and monthly payroll processing.
• Handle complex payroll queries.

Skills

Payroll processing skills

Team supervision

Attention to detail

Microsoft Excel proficiency

Problem-solving

Education

CIPP qualification or pursuing

Tools

Zellis ResourceLink Payroll/HR system

Time & Attendance system

Job description

Overview

Working alongside the Payroll Manager you will help lead the Payroll team as well as taking an active role in the processing of both weekly and monthly payrolls.

You will motivate and support the payroll team to ensure they support the growth of our business by delivering operational effectiveness.

You'll join a team which includes a Payroll & HR Systems Manager and three Payroll Specialists.

As well as paying circa 2000 staff every week/month, our payroll team also administer employee databases and systems to track leave, time & attendance and references.

You will be an experienced payroll professional, looking to expand your experience and grow your skills.

This is an opportunity to take the lead on projects and payroll responsibilities.

Full time, 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Based at our Trowbridge head office and on-site at least 3 days per week.

Some flexibility may be required during busy periods.

Who we are

apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings.

Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness.

Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.

Responsibilities

• Deputising for the Payroll Manager
• Assist with end-to-end processing of weekly and monthly payrolls ensuring all payrolls are completed accurately and on time.
• Ensuring all deductions are processed correctly and submitted within required timescales.
• Completion of month-end reports supplying information to managers across the business
• Handling complex payroll queries
• Completing reconciliations and payroll journals
• Accurately record information for P11d’s
• Stay up to date with legislation and tax laws affecting payroll operations.
• Share information as relevant within the Payroll team and wider business
• Working with the Payroll Manager and the Payroll & HR Systems Manager to identify efficiencies and improvements for Payroll, HR and employees
• Other duties as required
• Supporting:
  • Payroll and P11d Year End processing
  • Communication across the business
  • Audits and providing documentation when required
  • Supervision and direction of the payroll team

About you

Essential

• Proven end-to-end payroll experience
• Experience administering payroll and/ or employee database systems
• In depth knowledge of statutory payments, tax/NI calculations, auto-enrolment and NMW
• CIPP qualified or working towards CIPP qualification
• Experience supervising a team
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook packages
• Strong accuracy and attention to detail
• Able to work to tight deadlines
• Plan and organise daily/weekly tasks, prioritise appropriatelyBuild strong relationships with both internal and external customers
• Seeks opportunitiesto make improvements to processes and customer experiences
• Adapts to changes quickly and positively, embracing new ideas
• Pragmatic approach to problem solving while staying within the scope of rules and regulations.

Desirable

• Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel to an advanced level.
• Experience of Zellis ResourceLink Payroll/HR system
• Experience working with an integrated Time & Attendance system

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• Access to employee benefits including Perkbox with salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values

As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.

We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.

We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer. Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future.

We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.