Job summary
- Main area
- HR and Payroll
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8c
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 358-7706232-COR
- Employer
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- County Hall
- Town
- Glenfield, Leicester
- Salary
- £76,965 - £88,682 Per annum/ pro rota for part time hours
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Head of Pay & Employment Services Hub
NHS AfC: Band 8c
AI tools like chatbots and virtual assistants can support you as you complete your application. For example, they can check for spelling or grammar errors, or help you to decide what to include.
But they shouldn’t replace your own responses or be used to write the application for you.
Relying too much on AI can negatively impact your chances of success, because automatically generated answers:
- might not be specific or relevant enough to address the criteria in the recruitment profile
- often seem generic and not personalised enough – an AI response won’t show your unique voice and perspective
- could misrepresent information about you, such as your qualifications, skills and experience
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.
Job overview
We are looking for someone who:
- Holds an IPPM Diploma or equivalent postgraduate qualification, with advanced theoretical knowledge of payroll.
- Has extensive, up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation, HR best practice, and proven experience managing payroll services.
- Demonstrates excellent communication, leadership, and change management skills.
- Is adept at contract management, analysis of complex data, and problem-solving.
- Shows commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, treating all individuals with dignity and respect.
- Is robust, adaptable, and able to manage a demanding workload with competing priorities.
Main duties of the job
As the Head of Pay & Employment Services Hub, you will:
- Lead the transition to a modern, technology-driven Employment Services Hub, ensuring efficient, customer-focused service delivery.
- Provide strategic direction and leadership to Operational People Services and Pay Services, maximizing efficiency and performance.
- Manage a significant budget and oversee multiple contracts, including external payroll, expenses, and benefits providers.
- Develop and implement policies, service improvements, and business cases for future investment.
- Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, NHS policies, and audit standards.
- Act as the Trust’s expert on pay, pensions, and benefits, providing guidance and assurance on best practices and regulations.
- Foster a team-based culture focused on professionalism, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction.
Working for our organisation
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).
We have four primary goals:
- high-quality care for all,
- being a great place to work,
- partnerships for impact, and
- research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
- we are compassionate,
- we are proud,
- we are inclusive, and
- we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.
About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:
https://www.uhleicester.nhs.uk
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Person specification
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours
Training & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- IPPM Diploma or post grad diploma level of equivalent experience
- Advanced theoretical knowledge of payroll acquired through qualification or experience
Experience
Essential criteria
- Have extensive up to date knowledge of employment legislation, terms and conditions of employment and HR best practice
- Proven experience of managing and delivering a payroll service
- Contract Management experience
Desirable criteria
- Contract management of an external payroll provider
Communication and relationship skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication skills, to be able to communicate at all levels with a professional and non - bias manner, and be able to liaise, advise and interact as appropriate, with staff at all levels within and external to the Trust
- Proven ability to develop professional working relationships with all stakeholders
- Proven ability to lead, develop and motivate a team, along with the ability to apply change management
- Excellent customer service skills
- Ability to deal with people in complex, confrontational and highly emotive situations and gain engagement in a resistant environment
- Ability to build consensus amongst varied and challenging stakeholder groups
- Demonstrate the capability to motivate collaboration
Analytical and Judgement skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to deal with highly complex organisational issues and make recommendations
- Ability to complete analysis of complex data/reports/legislation effectively despite frequent interruptions needing immediate attention
- Us initiative and analysis of data to inform decision making
- Problem solving and creative thinking skills with the ability to explain things in a clear and concise way
- Ability to deal with ambiguity and respond confidently with matters that do not fall within previous experience/remit
Skills
Essential criteria
- Advanced keyboard skills
- Ability to write and present committee papers
- Attention to detail and accuracy
Planning and organisation skills
Essential criteria
- Formulate and adjust plans or strategies to ensure deliverance due to the broad range of complex activities and ongoing work programmes
- Ability to plan over short and long term timescales and tolerate high levels of uncertainty
- Robust, with the ability to balance priorities and meet personal and departmental targets with a fluctuating and demanding workload
- Ability to work to tight deadlines and to manage a large number of conflicting and frequently changing priorities
- Ability to develop new ways of working using planning, facilitation, collaboration and capacity planning and continuous improvement skills
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
- Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.
- All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of high quality care and interactions with others
Other requirements specific to the role
Essential criteria
- On site presence Ability to travel to different sites
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Charlotte Whyman
- Job title
- Associate Director -Operational People Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07950862687
List jobs with University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in Administrative Services or all sectors




