R2R103858 - Payroll and Pension Consultant

Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend.

Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work life balance. As a Unitary Authority we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education, so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference.

A great opportunity has arisen for an Interim Payroll & Pensions consultant to join the HR and Payroll Services team on a full‑time basis for an initial 3‑month period. The role sits within a supportive and professional Payroll team and offers flexible, hybrid working, with an expectation of attendance in the office at least two days per week on average.

As a payroll and pensions consultant, you will play a key role in supporting the delivery of an accurate, efficient, and compliant Payroll and Pensions service to council departments and external customers. Working closely with the Payroll, Pensions & Audit Leads, you will support monthly and year‑end payroll activity, including HMRC submissions, salary sacrifice arrangements, and pension returns, while ensuring audit and statutory requirements are met.

The role involves managing payroll checks for audit purposes, providing cover during team absences, and responding to complex payroll and pension queries, including Local Government Pension Scheme and Teachers Pension Scheme. You will support the maintenance of payroll guidance and contribute to ongoing system and process improvements, including enhancements within Business World and any recommendations from recent internal audit. You will also assist with embedding digital‑first ways of working and supporting service improvements driven by legislative or policy change. Regular engagement with managers, HR colleagues, and customers will form part of the role, requiring a professional and customer‑focused approach at all times.

NB: This role supports a high‑volume payroll environment, covering circa 2,500 employees across four monthly payroll runs.

To be successful in this role, you will have strong working knowledge of payroll and pensions processes, procedures, and strong payroll legislation knowledge , ideally gained within a local authority or similarly complex organisation. You will have demonstrable experience of pension administration and be confident managing complex matters, including statutory and regulatory requirements.

Experience of prioritising and managing multiple issues simultaneously, working to tight deadlines. The ideal candidate will demonstrate composure under pressure,  maintaining accuracy under pressure is essential. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are vital, as you will liaise with a wide range of stakeholders across the organisation. You must have strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret information and identify practical solutions.

You will also possess advanced Excel capability, including confident use of formulas, data validation, pivot tables, VLOOKUP’s and reconciliation techniques to ensure payroll accuracy and streamline processes.  

If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

If you would like a copy the Job Description, please click here

Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to.

The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.