Opus People Solutions on behalf of West Northamptonshire Council are recruiting for a Account Technician - Pay & Control Account Reconciliation Officer to join their team on a temporary contract

Start Date:

ASAP

Length:

6 Months

Working Location:

Northampton, Part Remote

Working Hours:

37

Overall purpose of the role:

1. Responsible for administrating payroll reconciliation and third-party payments across multi clients including Statutory and Voluntary deductions and Pensions reporting. Adhering to specified deadlines and to audit requirements. Using knowledge and the ability to understand complex calculation of Tax, National Insurance and Pension contributions. To complete control account reconciliation and complete working papers for multi clients and accounts.
2. To support and assist the Manager and Senior Officer in the management of workflow within the team(s) and ensure a customer focussed and efficient operational service is delivered. To provide accurate information and support in response to customer enquires according to the agreed procedures, polices and legislation requirements.
3. To ensure an integrated approach to Payroll Services through assisting with the implementation of new technologies, methodologies and processes that meet the needs of clients, customers and client organisations.

Main Responsibilities:

1. Provide operational services within the Payroll Reconciliation team across all clients. Work closely with the Manager, keeping them informed of staff, process, system or performance issues and take responsibility for resolving issues or recommending options for resolving them as appropriate. To ensure that all documentation is recorded and retained as per legislation and audit requirements.
2. To be responsible for ensuring that all payroll reconciliations and third-party payments across multi clients are processed accurately, within specified deadlines and to audit requirements, thus ensuring all employees statutory and voluntary deductions are paid accurately and on time. Working within audit requirements to ensure that control accounts are reconciled on a monthly basis providing supporting evidence and working papers. Undertake any additional necessary reconciliations ensuring appropriate supporting documents are retained and that these are signed off monthly by required Management.
3. Ensure operational service priorities are met and customer and audit requirements are adhered to through effective workflow management. Working collaboratively with Payroll Services teams to ensure that all payments are processed, and all supporting documentation provided to ensure that all statutory and legislation requirements are met
4. Respond to and resolve complex enquires, requests and queries within the agreed service standard and according to operational procedures.
5. Provide advice to the Manager and Service Delivery Manager on areas of the service where improvements could be made and make recommendations to improve processes and efficiency.
6. Accountable for ensuring compliance of changes to Pension regulations is maintained and adhered to.
7. Working within a team supporting others to ensure that all reconciliation and payments are delivered on time and accurately
8. Manage own workload, processing complex data received and ensure that high quality information reports are produced and to submit data accurately and in a timely manner to Third parties such as Teachers Pensions. Following current processes and ensure that audit requirements are adhered to.
9. Support system implementations including conducting system testing, developing system documentation / process notes and delivering training to staff on new system processes.
10. Work collaboratively on projects that support developments / improvements for the payroll service in a professional and positive way. Take responsibilities and ownership on improvements within the service that can be recommended and implemented within the team.
11. Face to face meetings with customers and business areas responding to and resolving complex queries to mitigate complaints escalating further.
12. Working in partnership with our customers, identifying training needs and positively participating in face-to-face Payroll surgeries and workshops.
13. Carry out any other duties which fall within the broad spirit, scope and purpose of this job description and which are commensurate with the grade of the post.

Qualifications/Experience Needed:

• Finance qualification or equivalent by experience
• Experience of working within finance or payroll
• Experience of Control Account reconciliation.
• Experience of developing system user guides and training documentation for new systems and processes