Job summary
- Main area
- Finance
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday, Office based)
- Job ref
- 193-7164583COR
- Employer
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Berkshire Hospital
- Town
- Reading
- Salary
- £24,625 - £25,674 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/05/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Trainee Payroll Officer
NHS AfC: Band 3
Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements. The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’. This is a great opportunity to join our clinical or non-clinical teams to create a positive and motivating environment within our trust. Come and join our team in this exciting time of change as we pride ourselves, our staff and our services on excellence.
At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”
We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions
We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate
We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live
We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice
Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.
Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic Trainee Payroll Officer to join our Team.
A trainee payroll officer will undertake all duties of a payroll officer under close supervision whilst undergoing training. The length of training is expected to be approximately two years depending on progress. Upon satisfactory completion of training, an individual would automatically take on the role of trained payroll officer, which is a Band 4.
Main duties of the job
- To ensure the prompt and accurate payment of salaries and wages to a group of employees paid by the Department.
- To liaise with HR / Finance / Managers in order to ensure that appointment, variation and termination forms are correctly completed and authorised before entering data onto ESR in a timely manner.
- To follow agreed procedures and time scales for monthly payroll processing.
- To analyse relevant data in respect of maternity, paternity and adoption leave requests, assessing entitlement for Trust, AFC, Whitley Council and Statutory Payment. Calculate amounts dues and enter in ESR in the relevant format so ensuring that payment, pension deductions and recoverable SMP, SPP and SAP is correct.
- To ensure the correct payments of Trust, AFC, Whitley Council, Statutory Sick Pay and Injury Benefit are processed.
- To calculate over-payments, write to the individuals to arrange repayment & process them in ESR.
Working for our organisation
Diversity makes us interesting… Inclusion is what will make us outstanding.
Inequality exists and the journey to eliminate it is not easy. Every step we take will be a purposeful step forward to deliver a truly inclusive culture where all our people are enabled to deliver outstanding care, where background is no barrier, and where everyone can be their authentic self and we truly represent our patient community.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where possible. All applicants who have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the post can opt for a guaranteed interview.
If you need additional help with your application please get in touch by calling the recruitment team on 0118 322 6997 or 0118 322 5342.
Our primary method of communication will be via email. However, if you would prefer to be contacted through a different method, please inform the recruitment team.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To calculate manual emergency payments where necessary, ensuring correct statutory and pensions deductions are made.
- To ensure that at all times, Trust, AFC, Whitley Council, Statutory and Pension Regulations are adhered to.
- To collate and record accurate pension information in a timely manner.
- To deal efficiently with written and verbal queries from employees, managers and outside bodies.
- To ensure all documentation is filed in an accurate and timely manner.
- To answer simple pension queries.
- To provide cover during absence of other pay clerks at the discretion of the Senior Payroll Officers.
Person specification
Communication
Essential criteria
- Communication experince
Admin Experience
Essential criteria
- Office Experience
Desirable criteria
- Payroll / Finance Experience
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Darren Gatward
- Job title
- Head of Payroll Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01183226666
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