Head of Pay & Employment Services Hub

Head of Pay & Employment Services Hub

The closing date is 22 February 2026

Are you ready to lead the transformation of employment services in one of the UK's largest NHS Trusts? We are seeking an experienced and visionary leader to head our integrated Employment Services Hub, driving innovation and excellence in pay, pensions, and benefits for our diverse workforce.

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.

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years ().

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:

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for full details and for more information please contact:- Charlotte Whyman, Associate Director Operational People Services on

Person Specification Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's Values and Behaviours

Training & Qualifications

• IPPM Diploma or post grad diploma level of equivalent experience
• Advanced theoretical knowledge of payroll acquired through qualification or experience

Experience

• 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 of an external payroll provider

Communication and relationship skills

• 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
• 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

• 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

• Advanced keyboard skills
• Ability to write and present committee papers
• Attention to detail and accuracy

Planning and organisation skills

• 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

• 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

• On site presence Ability to travel to different sites

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

£76,965 to £88,682 a yearPer annum/ pro rota for part time hours