Payroll and Pension Manager

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced and proactive Payroll and Pensions Manager to lead our payroll and pension operations, ensuring accurate and timely delivery of all payments and statutory returns. This role is critical in maintaining confidence, compliance, and operational excellence across the organisation. You will oversee end‑to‑end payroll, manage our pension schemes, support financial reporting, and act as a trusted advisor to HR, Finance, and senior leadership.

This position is ideal for a detail‑driven professional who thrives in a dynamic environment and can balance operational delivery with strategic improvement.

• Lead and manage the monthly payroll and pensions cycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely payments.
• Oversee pension scheme administration, including auto‑enrolment, contributions, salary sacrifice and regulatory reporting.
• Act as the subject‑matter expert on payroll legislation, HMRC requirements, and pension regulations.
• Maintain and reconcile payroll records, ensuring integrity of data and alignment with the financial ledgers.
• Manage payroll and pension year‑end processes, statutory returns, and audit requirements.
• Ensure robust internal controls and support continuous improvement of payroll processes and systems.
• Provide guidance to colleagues, managers, and stakeholders on payroll policies and pension matters.
• Lead and develop the payroll and pension team, promoting a culture of accuracy, service excellence, and accountability.

• Significant experience managing complex payrolls, ideally within a multi‑site or medium‑to‑large organisation.
• Strong technical understanding of PAYE, NI, statutory payments, and pension regulations.
• Experience managing both Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution pension schemes, including LGPS, TPS, USS.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to interpret and apply legislation.
• Proficient in payroll systems and confident working with HR/Finance software.
• Strong communication skills and ability to build effective relationships at all levels.
• Leadership experience with the ability to coach, develop, and engage a team.
• A relevant professional payroll qualification (e.g., CIPP) is desirable.

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Opportunities for professional development and progression
• Supportive, collaborative working environment

The University of Wolverhampton recognises and protects the rights to freedom of speech and academic freedom, within the law. We are committed to ensuring that lawful expression of ideas, beliefs and opinions — including those that may be controversial or unpopular — does not result in disadvantage in recruitment, employment or progression. An offer of employment at the University of Wolverhampton will never be denied based on an individual’s lawful expression of their beliefs, ideas or opinions.

The University of Wolverhampton is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to preventing unlawful discrimination and harassment, promoting equality of opportunity and fostering an inclusive environment where colleagues are treated with dignity and respect. We strive to create a workplace in which colleagues have the confidence and freedom to be themselves, while working professionally and in accordance with equality legislation and University policies.

We recognise that applicants may use AI tools to support the preparation of their applications. However, submissions must reflect your own experience, achievements and motivations. We want to understand what you personally bring to the role. Please ensure your application accurately represents your own voice and capabilities.

We recognise the value of flexible working arrangements and are open to discussion wherever possible.

• Competitive salaries
• Standard Life Pension scheme – with employer contribution of up to 12% to the University’s defined contribution scheme.
• Long Service…