Payroll Operations Supervisor

Overview

Are you an experienced payroll professional who enjoys leading people, improving processes and making a real difference behind the scenes? This is an exciting opportunity to join our forward-thinking HR & OD team, where you'll play a key role in delivering high-quality payroll and HR operational services to colleagues, schools and external clients.

As our Payroll Operations Supervisor, you'll lead a team of HR Advisors, ensuring payroll services run smoothly while driving continuous improvement, embracing new ways of working and helping shape the future of payroll and HR operations.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

This is a 12 month, fixed term/secondment role, starting from 1st January 2027 to 31st December 2027.

This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are quite the same. You'll be responsible for overseeing day-to-day payroll operations, supporting your team to deliver an excellent customer experience and ensuring payroll processes are accurate, compliant and delivered on time. Working closely with colleagues across HR, payroll and the wider organisation, you'll provide expert advice and guidance on a range of payroll and operational matters.

Beyond the day-to-day operational leadership, you'll have the opportunity to influence and improve how services are delivered. From supporting system enhancements and process improvements to analysing data, identifying trends and contributing to projects, you'll play an important role in driving innovation and continuous improvement across the service. If you enjoy solving problems, leading positive change and developing people, this role offers plenty of opportunity to make an impact.

Some of your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and supporting a team of HR Advisors to deliver a professional, customer-focused service.
• Overseeing payroll operations to ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll activities.
• Providing specialist payroll advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders.
• Supporting service improvement initiatives, systems development and operational projects.

For a full breakdown of responsibilities, please refer to the Job Description.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need a desk, screen a keyboard to get your job done. You’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

We're looking for someone who combines payroll expertise with strong leadership skills and a passion for delivering great customer service. You'll be an approachable and supportive people manager who enjoys developing others, building positive relationships and finding practical solutions to complex challenges. You'll be confident working in a fast-paced environment, able to manage competing priorities and comfortable using data and insight to drive informed decision-making

To be successful in this role, you'll have significant experience within payroll and HR operations, ideally gained within a large and complex organisation. You'll possess a strong understanding of payroll legislation, statutory requirements and payroll best practice, alongside the ability to explain technical information clearly to a range of audiences. Experience of leading teams, influencing stakeholders and supporting service improvement activities will be essential.

You'll also share our commitment to continuous learning, collaboration and innovation, bringing curiosity, adaptability and a proactive approach to everything you do. Educated to degree level (or equivalent) and holding, or working towards, a relevant professional qualification, you'll be ready to help shape and develop a high-performing payroll service.

For full details of the experience, skills, qualifications and behaviours required, please refer to the Job Description.

Why join us?

You'll be joining a collaborative and ambitious team that is committed to delivering excellent service and embracing new ways of working. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your career, contribute to meaningful improvements and help ensure colleagues and customers receive the high-quality support they deserve.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

For more information about this role, please Beth Wootton-Stroud at
[email protected] for an informal discussion.

Internal Closing date: 1st November 2026

Interview Date: W/C 9^th November 2026

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare;

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Service Area

The Corporate Payroll Operations Team is at the heart of delivering accurate, timely and high-quality payroll and HR administration services across Buckinghamshire Council. Supporting employees and external clients, the team plays a vital role in ensuring people are paid correctly, receive excellent customer service and have the support they need throughout their employment journey.

We are a collaborative and dedicated team that takes pride in delivering a professional, customer-focused service while maintaining compliance with payroll legislation and employment policies. With a strong focus on continuous improvement, we are always looking for smarter ways of working, embracing technology and streamlining processes to enhance both efficiency and the customer experience.

Joining the team means becoming part of a supportive environment where knowledge is shared, achievements are celebrated and development is encouraged. Whether we're solving complex payroll queries, implementing service improvements or supporting organisational change, we work together to make a positive impact every day.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/