Experienced Project Payroll & People Advisor

Project Payroll & People Advisor

Fixed Term, Full Time

£26,315 up to £30,959 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Please note that this is a secondment or fixed term opportunity for a period of 14 months.

This position has an Anywhere Worker working style, but we will require you to attend the office in Chelmsford on average 1 day a week around business need.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced dedicated and detail-oriented Payroll and People Advisor to join our team. In this role, you will support the People Systems Admin Manager in a critical project to upgrade system configurations, ensuring compliance with statutory absence and pension reporting.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Support: Collaborate with Senior Payroll Team members, implementation partners, and the project team to support project deliverables.

User Acceptance Testing: Participate in UAT activities, including:

Developing test scripts

Entering test data

Analysing test results

Managing issues

Collaborating with software developers

Auditing: Audit payroll output for accuracy and compliance.

Skills and Qualifications:

Strong mathematical and numeracy skills.

Knowledge of payroll compliance and regulations.

Problem-solving and analytical skills.

Ability to work under pressure, meeting deadlines and targets.

Attention to detail and accuracy of work.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel.

Self-motivated and able to work independently, as well as part of a team.

Ability to plan and prioritize workload and adapt to changes.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Strong project planning, organization, and execution skills.

Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to quickly build rapport.

Preferred Experience:

Experience working within a Local Government payroll environment.

Experience working in a large Payroll function.

Proven competency in payroll regulation and legislation.

To read more about us please visit: People, Policy, Economy and Public Health

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government's devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR)) on our careers site

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email #####

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