Payroll Business Support Officer- Fixed Term Contract- 12 months

Job Introduction

Salary: £35,754.47 FTE per annum with yearly increments based on performance.

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 12 months 

Location: Birmingham Baskerville

Type of Working Arrangement: We offer a flexible, blended working approach, combining home and office-based work. Regular weekly travel to our Birmingham office is required.

Hours: Part Time 22 Hours over 3 days. 

British Transport Police (BTP) is the national police force for the rail network throughout Great Britain. We are the ‘Guardians of the Railway,’ putting passenger safety at the heart of what we do. Our values are simply: We Care, We Do the Right Thing, We Strive to Be Better Every Day, We Are One BTP, and We Are Proud to Protect. Join us and help create an environment where we can all be our best every day.

The Opportunity:

Join us as a Payroll Specialist and take ownership of delivering an end-to-end payroll service that keeps our people paid accurately and on time. You’ll ensure every detail is right—maintaining data quality, compliance with HMRC legislation, pension regulations, police regulations, employment law, GDPR, and more.

In this role, you’ll be the go-to expert for all pay-related matters across the force, providing clear, comprehensive calculations and advice—even tackling complex manual calculations when needed. You’ll lead on specialist areas such as pension schemes and family-friendly processes, influencing and improving payroll practices along the way.

As a system administrator, you’ll support over 5,500 users with payroll self-service, delivering training and guidance that empowers our workforce to access and manage their pay accounts confidently. You’ll also play a key role in safeguarding accuracy for a payroll run of approximately £15 million per pay period, reducing fraud risk and protecting BTP’s reputation.

From supporting e-Expenses compliance to delivering training sessions and knowledge resources, you’ll help shape a payroll service that’s efficient, transparent, and trusted across the organisation.

What you'll be doing: 

As a Payroll Specialist, you’ll be at the heart of ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely pay for our entire workforce. Your role will include:

• Managing end-to-end payroll processes and acting as the single point of contact for all pay-related queries.
• Supporting employees with payroll self-service, delivering training and guidance to maximise functionality.
• Providing accurate pay calculations and detailed breakdowns, including complex manual adjustments and pension transactions.
• Auditing payroll data to identify risks, prevent fraud, and drive process improvements.
• Collaborating with internal teams and external partners, including HMRC and pension providers, to ensure compliance and resolve issues.
• Supplying payroll insights and reports for governance, audits, and strategic decision-making.

What you'll bring to the team:

Qualifications: 

Level 5 CIPP in Payroll or equivalent experience

Experience:

• Significant payroll expertise, ideally in a large shared service environment (3,000+ employees).
• Proven ability to deliver accurate, complex pay calculations and provide clear guidance on legislative requirements.
• Strong track record in building relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including HMRC, pension providers, and external partners.
• Experience managing payroll audits, fraud risk, and delivering projects alongside BAU operations.

Skills:

• Advanced Excel and auditing skills, with the ability to analyse and forecast pay data quickly.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills—able to handle sensitive situations with empathy while remaining firm on decisions.
• Confident decision-maker under pressure, with strong problem-solving abilities and attention to details.
• Expert understanding of UK payroll legislation, pensions regulations, HMRC compliance, GDPR, and employment law.
• Familiarity with manual pay calculations, complex pension schemes, and payroll systems such as iTrent.

What we offer:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Family-friendly policies, including up to 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave.
• Bespoke benefits platform and Blue Light Card access.
• Salary sacrifice options for cycles, home technology, gym membership, and electric vehicles.
• Interest-free annual rail season ticket loan after 6 months. (Remove if FTC)
• Access to the Transport Benevolent Fund for health, welfare, and financial support.
• Development opportunities, including fully funded apprenticeships.
• Excellent Pension scheme:  We offer the BTP GPP Police Staff Pension Scheme, administered by Royal London. This group personal pension plan is available to all police staff and is a defined contribution scheme. It provides the flexibility to vary your pension contributions from 4.4% to 12% of your salary. For more information, visit the Royal London dedicated pension page or email us at Pension-Queries@btp.police.uk. Note: If you are an existing member of Police Staff in the RPS, your pension will not be affected.

Vetting: Successful applicants will be required to pass Recruitment/Management Vetting (3/5 years minimum UK residency required), including a full background and financial disclosure. For more information and Top Tips, please see attached document. 

Medical: We’ll ask for relevant health and medical history details to support employee wellbeing. 

References: We'll ask for references to cover the past 5 years.

Further information about this vacancy can be found in the attached job description.

How to apply: Applications will be via an up to date CV and online application form, as part of this application please outline how your skills and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role.

Inclusion & Diversity: 

At BTP, we are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. We believe diversity drives innovation and better decision-making. Our roles are open to everyone, and we encourage applications from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates, women, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, and those who are neurodiverse. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. 

For more information on Inclusion or the Disability Confident Scheme, please click the links Inclusion & Diversity Disability Confident Scheme

Join Us:

Ready to take the next step in your career? At BTP, you’ll have the opportunity to grow, make a real impact, and be part of something extraordinary.

Find out why BTP could be the perfect fit for you - About Us - British Transport Police

Curious about what life at BTP is really like? Hear directly from our people and discover what makes working with us rewarding. Explore real stories on our blog: Our Stories - British Transport Police

For further information, please contact our Resourcing Team -RecruitmentTeam@btp.police.uk.