Payroll Officer

Princes Group; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food and beverage company in Liverpool is seeking a Payroll Officer to join their payroll team. This role involves processing payrolls accurately for multiple locations, ensuring compliance with legislation, and providing support for key payroll initiatives. The ideal candidate will need experience in payroll processing, strong IT skills, and excellent attention to detail. This position offers a hybrid working model and generous benefits including annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus birthday off

14.5% pension

Flexible holiday option

Enhanced family friendly policies

Learning & development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in processing weekly and monthly payrolls in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong numerical skills and attention to detail.
• Up-to-date knowledge of payroll legislation.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll accurately and on time for various locations.
• Calculate pro-rate payments and manage expense claims.
• Assist Payroll Manager with various payroll projects.

Skills

Payroll processing

Attention to detail

Strong IT skills

Communication skills

Tools

Flexipay

Excel

Job description

Vacancy Name: Payroll Officer

Employment Type: Permanent

Country: United Kingdom

Location: Liverpool

Business Area: Operations

Workplace Type: Hybrid

About Princes: The Princes Group has over 7,000 employees with offices and production sites in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, France and Mauritius. Princes manufactures 350 different food and drink products responsibly sourced and enjoyed by consumers every day. None of this would be possible without striving to be an employer of choice, where our colleagues are proud to represent our business.

Role Description

To work as part of the payroll team to ensure all payrolls are processed accurately and on time. Processing payroll for weekly and monthly colleagues based at various locations across the UK in line with HMRC compliance and company processes. Support continuous improvement initiatives within the function as well as key projects impacting payroll processes and supporting the payroll manager as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure all new starter and leaver details together with permanent element changes, such as salary increases, are entered onto the payroll system for both weekly and monthly payrolls taking account of any timing differences that affect accuracy.
• Calculate pro‑rate payments for both weekly and monthly payrolls.
• Process any CSA, Court Orders and Attachment of Earnings.
• Process weekly and monthly time sheets from our TMS software ensuring accuracy of payments.
• Process expense claims for colleagues across the UK.
• Calculate and enter temporary changes including CSP, SSP, SPP and SAP.
• Send SSP1/SMP1/SPP1 when applicable.
• Ensure SSP records are kept up to date for long term sickness.
• Provide reports for Finance and weekly/monthly filings. Complete balance and payroll journals.
• Ensure pension administration and payments are processed accurately and on time.
• Process RTI and Auto Enrolment on a weekly and monthly basis ensuring the files are submitted on time to avoid penalties. Perform assessments on eligibility to the scheme and salary sacrifice eligibility.
• Ensure changes in legislation are adhered to and regularly kept up to date.
• Reconcile third party deductions, both statutory and voluntary prior to BACS transfer.
• Process third party deduction letters and email notifications. Assist employees and authorised third parties with queries regarding payroll related matters.
• Assist the payroll manager with ad hoc tasks for SLAs, SOPs creation and management, training of new staff.
• Provide general assistance within the payroll department as needed to aid the smooth running of the total operation, supporting team members where appropriate. Provide cover for the Payroll Manager and other payroll staff when out of office.
• Assist the Payroll Manager with end of tax year procedures, e.g. processing P60 forms.
• Complete administrative tasks such as printing payslips & P45s as required and management of the payroll inbox including support with payroll queries, references and ad hoc requests and queries from sites or colleagues.
• Assist sites with information they require; developing meaningful reports on the new payroll system.
• Process manual calculations to assist with queries.
• Any other ad hoc duties.

Role Requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Experience of working a payroll role processing both weekly and monthly payrolls in a fast‑paced environment.
• CIPP membership is desirable but not essential.
• Knowledge of Flexipay is an advantage but not essential as full training can be given.
• Up to date knowledge of payroll legislation.
• Strong IT skills including the use of Excel to an intermediate or expert level.
• Accuracy – excellent numerical skills and attention to detail.
• Planning and organisation skills with the ability to meet deadlines and prioritise key tasks both proactively and reactively.
• Able to work effectively as part of a team whilst also comfortable working autonomously.
• Able to use your initiative to identify and solve problems with a solution driven approach focusing on continuous improvement.
• Strong communication skills with an adaptive style to liaise with both operational and head office colleagues.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus your birthday off.
• 14.5% pension – 5% employee opt‑in / 9.5% employer.
• Hybrid & flexible working – 4 days in office / 1 day WFH.
• Flexible holiday option – buy 5 additional days.
• Enhanced family friendly & carers policies.
• Critical illness cover.
• Learning & development opportunities.

Seniority level

• Entry level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Human Resources
• Industries – Food and Beverage Services