Payroll Assistant
6-month fixed term contract
Based in Olton (3 days on site and 2 days working from home)
We are looking for a Payroll Assistant to join our friendly team here at Waterstones in Olton on a six-month fixed term contract. As part of a dynamic team of five, this role is responsible for providing a professional and efficient payroll service for approximately 3,400 employees across 300 stores and two central head office locations in the UK, Isle of Man, Jersey, and Republic of Ireland. This role plays a critical part in ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining compliance with payroll regulations.
What you will be doing
Payroll Processing:
* Process payroll information for approximately 3,400 monthly-paid employees.
* Ensure timely and accurate input and verification of payroll data, including calculations for back pay and adjustments for new starters, leavers, and changes in employee details.
Employee Queries:
* Address and resolve payroll-related queries from employees via telephone or email promptly and professionally.
Documentation Management:
* Sort and process incoming payroll post.
* Distribute payslips (Isle of Man & Jersey only) and P45s (UK payrolls only) to home addresses.
* Maintain and archive department files monthly and annually at the tax year-end to ensure compliance and accessibility.
Banking and Payments:
* Review daily bank statements and provide supporting documentation for payments or rejections to the Payroll Analyst.
* Coordinate BACS recall requests for Head of Payroll approval.
* Process manual one-off advances or third-party payment requests through Lloyds and Bank of Ireland systems.
Compliance and Reporting:
* Calculate cross charges (transfers) for processing by the Payroll Analyst to meet month-end deadlines.
* Maintain records of employee overpayments, including recalculating payslips, issuing letters, resolving queries, and sending payment receipts.
* Fulfil employee data requests, such as statements of earnings and copies of payslips, and respond to external inquiries (e.g., DWP, banks).
What we need from you
* Entry-level payroll experience in a similar environment with basic knowledge of payroll legislation.
* Familiarity with SD Worx Payroll or equivalent systems is beneficial.
* Proficient in accurate data entry.
* Basic knowledge of Excel and Word.
Person Profile
* Self-motivated and able to work effectively within a team.
* Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet tight deadlines.
* Exceptional attention to detail.
* Excellent customer service skills for interacting with internal and external stakeholders.
* Adaptable and reliable, especially during peak workloads.
Why work for Waterstones
At Waterstones, everything we do is about our customers, and we work hard to provide them with the best possible shopping experience, one that will make them want to visit time and time again. We strive to consistently deliver fantastic customer service, whether recommending a book or a gift, keeping our shops beautifully stocked, helping out in our lovely Café W’s, or keeping the wheels turning efficiently behind the scenes. Working with us, you will get to use your expertise and enthusiasm to bring to our customers the irreplaceable pleasures of a good bookshop (including a virtual one).
In return, you will be working in a role that can make a real difference to Waterstones, work in a friendly and dynamic team and get to benefit from our excellent discount in shops and waterstones.com.
If you have the relevant essential experience and you are interested, we would love to hear from you.