HR Payroll Assistant, 2 High Street, Perth

Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

HR Payroll Assistant - PKC13664
£31,759 - £34,011
2 High Street, Perth

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly organised and detail-focused individual to join our Payroll & Reward Team within People & Culture.

The main purpose of this role is to assist and support the HR Officer in delivering a high-quality, customer-centred and professional payroll and reward service across the Council.

Your main responsibility will be to ensure all salary payments and deductions are processed accurately and on time, in line with statutory requirements and conditions of service for SJC, Chief Officers and Craft Employees (circa 4,500 employees).

You will prepare, collate, extract and present payroll information, often carrying out complex calculations, therefore strong numeracy skills and excellent attention to detail are essential.

Please note, we are currently unable to offer sponsorship for this post.

Skills & Experience Required

You will have proven experience in a similar Payroll or HR-related role, with a sound understanding of payroll processes, pension regulations and varying terms and conditions of service.

You should be confident in using payroll software or systems as the role involves data input and verification for new starters, transfers, secondments, changes of circumstance (including temporary arrangements such as fixed term contracts, temporary higher duty payments, and flexible working) and leavers. Full training will be provided.

You should be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing as one of the key accountabilities of this role is to provide advice and guidance to Employees and Managers.

You should have an understanding of career average pension schemes as you will be responsible for completing Local Government Pension Scheme data, including pension contribution assessments and handling queries submitted by pension providers.

As this role deals with personal, confidential and sensitive information, maintaining strict confidentiality at all times is a key requirement.

You will be joining a dedicated team that prides itself on delivering a high-quality, customer-focused, and professional payroll and reward service to the Council.

This role calls for a strong commitment to putting people first, ensuring every detail is accurate and every employee is supported through timely and precise pay and benefit administration.

To succeed in this role, you will need to:

• Perform confidently in a fast-paced environment and remain calm under pressure, particularly around payroll deadlines.
• Demonstrate excellent organisational skills and the ability to re-prioritise tasks effectively.
• Work independently, using initiative, with minimal support and guidance.
• Adapt to ongoing changes, including legislative updates and evolving working practices.
• Possess strong numeracy skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Be enthusiastic about your work and understand the positive impact it has on others.
• Communicate clearly, professionally and sensitively, handling confidential information with the utmost discretion.

To undertake this role, you must hold National 5 qualifications in English and Maths, or an SCQF Level 6 (SVQ-equivalent) qualification in Payroll/HR, or be able to demonstrate considerable relevant experience.

Please note: Short-listed candidates will be required to complete a practical assessment to demonstrate their ability to follow instructions accurately and showcase their numeracy skills.  A calculator or other appropriate tools will be provided for this task.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Flexi time
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree.

Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs

We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Leighanne Byrne, HR Team Leader (Payroll & Reward) at lbyrne@pkc.gov.uk to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

To comply with Baseline Personnel Security Standard, you will be required to complete a Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.