Welcome to Hovis. We are the proud guardians of over 130 years of baking experience that make up our iconic and much-loved brand. We produce bread and bakery products created with Hovis goodness at the heart of each. We deliver around 1.3million loaves, every day of the week throughout the UK and Ireland, where we also make Mothers Pride and Ormo products. 

We are 2,800 people working within 8 bakeries, 1 flour mill, and 2 regional distribution centres across the UK. Our success is a result of the hard work of our people;  they are experts in their field whether it’s baking, manufacturing, logistics, engineering, or the many departments within the central functions team based in our head office in High Wycombe. We are a values-led business and expect our colleagues to live, breathe, and embed Quality, Accountability, and Trust into their ways of working.

The Role:

A great opportunity has been created for a talented Senior Payroll Assistant to join our Head Office finance team in High Wycombe. You will be part of a dynamic team and you will be involved in processing end-to-end monthly payroll and month end reporting. Your focus will be on ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing and compliance with statutory regulations. This role requires a strong understanding of UK payroll legislation, attention to detail and the ability to handle complex payroll scenarios. You will play a key role in maintaining payroll accuracy and providing exceptional service to our employees and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include:

• Overseeing and managing the end to end payroll processes for your sites
• Adhering to strict payment deadlines and ensuring all reporting (internal & external) are produced in a timely manner
• Ensuring all employees are paid correctly, in full and on time
• Review and validate payroll inputs, including salaries, benefits, allowances and deductions
• Conduct payroll audits to ensure data accuracy and compliance with internal policies and external regulations
• Conduct month end reports, balance sheet reconciliations and resolve any discrepancies or errors
• Ensuring liabilities for tax, national insurance and other related legislative requirements are calculated in accordance with HMRC Guidance
• Reconcile payroll journals, postings and headcount reports
• Oversee the administration of monthly pension schemes, including enrolment, contributions and liaison with pension providers
• Liaise with external auditors and government agencies for payroll related audits and compliance checks
• Handle payroll related inquiries from employees, addressing concerns and providing accurate information
• Stay updated with changes in payroll legislation, tax rates, and statutory requirements, and communicate updates to relevant stakeholders
• Participate in the evaluation and implementation of payroll system upgrades or enhancements
• Collaborate with HR and finance teams to ensure accurate employee data management and seamless payroll integration
• Assist Payroll Manager in coordinating year-end payroll processes, including the production of annual P60s, P11Ds, PAYE PSAs, Directors Emoluments, Gender Pay Gap, Business Insurance, Annual Online Business Survey, Employment Related Securities (Form 42), etc.
• Prepare and distribute employee Payslips, P45s and other statutory payroll documents
• Other ad hoc duties as required

Essential Skills and experience:

• CIPP Level 4 and above holder
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in processing complex payroll scenarios
• Familiarity with pension scheme administration and compliance requirements
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to handle complex payroll manual calculations, identify discrepancies, reconcile reports and proactively resolve issues that may arise.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills to effectively address employee inquiries and concerns related to payroll
• Understanding of data protection regulations and confidentiality requirements in handling employee information
• Strong MS Office applications, particularly Intermediate level in Excel, for data analysis and reporting skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment with "can do" attitude
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Integrity and honesty
• Ability to efficiently handle multiple tasks and prioritise work to tight deadlines
• Proven experience as a Senior Payroll Assistant or similar role
• In-depth knowledge of UK payroll processes, tax regulations, and compliance requirements
• Continuous learning mindset to stay updated with changes in UK payroll regulations and best practices

Desired Skills and Experience:

• SAP experience

Location: High Wycombe

Type of role: Full time, permanent

Reporting to: Payroll Manager

Why work for us and our benefits:

At Hovis, we understand the importance of looking after our colleagues, so we provide a variety of benefits in addition to their salaries. The benefits we provide at Hovis are as varied as the people who receive them but they are offered with the intention of creating value to them personally over and above their salaries

• There is a range of colleague benefits available, which individuals can select based on their needs.

• Our benefits scheme is called Hovis Choice, which offers a variety of savings and cashback offers on day to day living and much more including eyecare vouchers, and a healthcare scheme to suit everyone.  It also includes our Cycle to Work scheme where you can obtain a brand new bike at a significant saving

• We offer competitive annual leave entitlement and flexibility where possible in order to create a healthy work-life balance

• We celebrate loyalty with our generous long service and colleague recognition schemes

• We offer three levels of pensions

Hovis values diversity and is committed to promoting equal opportunities in the workplace. Every job applicant, employee or worker will be treated fairly and equally with dignity and respect regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, social class, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, union membership, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.