£45,000 – £50,000SeniorFull Time
About the Opportunity
Department
Finance
Location
Devon House, London (opportunity for Hybrid work arrangement)
Term
Full time; Permanent
Salary
£45,000-£50,000 per annum, depending on experience
Benefits
Generous benefits package including 25 days holiday allowance pro rata (excl. Bank holidays), group life assurance, group income protection, pension schemes and private healthcare (optional)
Start
April 2026
The Senior Payroll specialist will work alongside the International Payroll Manager and Senior Business Systems Analyst to deliver the day to day running of payroll at the University. These include Gross to Net calculations for all staff on a monthly basis, compliance with all HMRC and pension requirements, as well as supporting the work required to deliver all necessary regulatory reporting to other external bodies where applicable and to work closely with the Human Resources and Finance department to ensure all contractual changes, additions and deductions to payroll are processed in an accurate and timely manner.
Although the list is not exhaustive the Senior Payroll specialist will be expected to:
Delivering Full cycle end to end payroll processing for our London Campus, including RTI submissions and Year End tasks, ensuring all activities are completed within a timely manner.
Overseeing Auto-Enrolment processes and submitting pension data to our external vendor
Performing audits and reconciliations to maintain the accuracy and integrity of payroll information
Assisting with internal and external audit preparation, including organising documentation and supporting evidence requests
Producing payroll reports for internal stakeholders
Supporting employees by resolving payroll queries and identifying underlying issues
Work closely with internal teams to ensure payroll processes are robust and meet finance and compliance standards.
Assisting with payroll related implementation projects and contributing to continuous process improvement initiatives
Act as a back-up for Canadian payroll processing
Skills and Knowledge
2+ years of experience with strong knowledge of UK Payroll practices and compliance
Proficient in using payroll systems and maintaining effective controls
Excellent communicator with strong stakeholder management skills
Membership of CIPP or working towards achieving CIPP Membership within 6 months of starting the role
Workday Payroll experience is advantageous
Canadian payroll experience and/or higher education industry exposure is advantageous
Education, Qualifications and training
Membership of CIPP or working towards achieving it. - Essential
Experience
Strong payroll skills and previous experience in a similar role - Essential
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Good written communications and strong interpersonal skills to deal with individuals at various levels, and on potentially sensitive matters - Essential
Excellent IT skills, including advanced level with Microsoft Office Suite - Essential
Highly computer literate with experience of accounting packages - Essential
Ability to work quickly, accurately and to deadlines, using a logical and methodical approach - Essential
A team player, with the ability to work independently - Essential
Position Type
FinanceSalary Range
£45,000 - £50,000Additional Information
About the University
Northeastern University London (NU London) is a prestigious higher education institution based in the heart of London and is part of Northeastern University’s global campus network. Overlooking the River Thames near Tower Bridge, NU London offers academically challenging educational programmes designed to inspire innovative thinking, encourage interdisciplinary study, and provide global experiences. The bright and modern campus offers award winning, contemporary facilities for students and staff including state of the art audio visual technology in its teaching and meeting spaces.
Inspired by excellence, infused with an energy of ideas and ability in motion, at NU London, being a part of our staff is to be a part of a collective of entrepreneurs and educators, builders and thinkers. NU London is growing quickly, offering opportunity and growth for our staff. Currently hosting 1,500 students, our aim is to have 4000 students by 2028/29.
Choose NU London
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, the University supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, your health and wellness are of utmost importance to us, and our offerings encompass:
25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays and winter break holidays (normally 2 days between Christmas and New Year).
Access to personalised Continuous Professional Development (CPD) plans and opportunities.
Support with private medical insurance.
Eye test reimbursement.
Cycle Scheme vouchers.
24/7 employee assistance/ support via our Employee Assistance Programme.
Access to deals and discounts for food & shopping in the local area.
Enquiries
Informal enquiries may be made to:
Yaneera PaskaranThey can be reached at the following:
y.paskaran@northeastern.eduHowever, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.
Application process
Applications should be made by 00:00 on the job posting's end date (if applicable).
Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.
Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page that addresses the criteria for the role and a full curriculum vitae.
The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.
Please note all employees of Northeastern University London are required to undergo at least a basic DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London.
For staff’s own wellbeing, for part time roles, the expectation is if you have multiple roles, they should not exceed full time (37.5 hours per week), and for full time roles, the expectation is that this will be your only role (apart from intermittent roles).
Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
