Senior Payroll Officer (18 month FTC) - Human Resources - Chelmsford

Posted 28 January 2026
LocationChelmsford
Job type Fixed Term Contract Full Time
Specialism Group Functions & Business Support
Reference021805

Job description

Key focus of job:

 

Lambert Smith Hampton (“LSH”) have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Payroll and HR Officer to join the HR Operations Team on a fixed term, 18-month contract, covering maternity leave. 

 

This is a key role within the business, with responsibility for delivering accurate and timely monthly payroll services across multiple pay groups, supporting bespoke payroll project work and providing general HR support to our colleague base as a senior member of the HR Operations team.

 

The role holder will be the primary contact for all payroll and associated employee data queries, ensuring every payslip is accurate first time and that colleagues receive clear, friendly support when they need it. You'll also play an active role in keeping our HR processes running smoothly - from maintaining employee records and supporting general queries across the business.

 

Company Context:

 

LSH is a multi-discipline commercial and residential property services company, operating across 40 regional and local offices in the UK, from Aberdeen to Truro and Belfast to Hull.  Our current employee base is around 1,400, and we have ambitious growth plans for the next 3-5 years.

 

Part of this growth will be supported by significant investment in our technology platform, including a planned migration of our existing HR and payroll systems.  The Senior Payroll & HR Officer will play an integral part in this project, ensuring that our payroll delivery is seamless for our colleagues and our people date integrity is fully maintained through the migration.

 

With growth comes opportunity, and whilst this position is currently for a fixed term to cover period of maternity leave, our growth agenda may provide options in the short to mid-term.     

 

Key tasks will include, but are not limited to:

  • Acting as a first point of contact for all payroll and associated HR queries, providing clear, friendly and solution focussed support
  • Maintaining accurate employee records in the HRIS system
  • Lead the relationship with our bureau payroll service provider, ensuring timely, compliant, and accurate monthly payroll processing and reporting across multiple payrolls
  • Liaising with key stakeholders regarding employee onboarding, changes of terms, and offboarding
  • Take ownership of the HR Operations Inbox, assigning and managing enquiries from colleagues and managers in a fast-paced professional environment.
  • Support the full range of payroll reporting
  • Central involvement in all payroll and Company benefit scheme projects, including payroll migrations, payroll set ups, new benefit platform integrations, onboarding and offboarding projects

About you:

  • You’ll have excellent attention to detail
  • You’ll be able to confidently work to strict deadlines
  • You’llbe able to plan and prioritise your workload effectively, to ensure the very highest standards of delivery.
  • You’ll be able to contribute to project plans and ensure delivery of milestones and outputs to schedule
  • You’ll have experience of managing the full payroll cycle, across multiple payrolls
  • You’ll have experience working collegiately with payroll bureau providers
  • You’ll have experience of data migration projects
  • You’ll be confident in, and enjoy, communicating with colleagues at all levels across the business
  • You’ll be a problem solver
  • You’ll demonstrate high levels of integrity and confidentiality and work well under pressure. 
  • You’ll want to learn and expand your knowledge and understanding
  • You’ll hold a minimum Level 3 CIPP and/or CIPD qualification or demonstrate substantive experience in place of this.
  • Ideally, you will have experience of Access HR and Workday platforms

 

Benefits:

 

Core Benefits:

  • Annual Leave: 25, rising to 30 with service
  • Pension:  Self Invested Personal Pension or Nest Pension Schemes
  • Life Assurance
  • Personal Accident Insurance 

Health and Wellbeing:

  • Private Healthcare
  • Health Cash Plan
  • Vitality 
  • Employee Assistance Programme

 Flexible Benefits:

  • Season Ticket Loan
  • Critical Illness Cover
  • ULEV Car Lease Scheme
  • Gym Membership
  • Health Screening
  • Restaurant Discount Card
  • Cycle To Work Scheme
  • Retail Vouchers
  • Railcards
  • Technology Voucher Scheme
  • Charitable Payroll Giving
  • Holiday buy
  •  Discounts/Savings Platform

Recognition Schemes:

  • Service Awards
  • National Recognition Scheme

 

We understand the value that a diverse and inclusive working environment brings to Lambert Smith Hampton. We celebrate the different perspectives and insights that people can bring through their cultures and backgrounds. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or any other protected characteristic.

 

We want to ensure that your application can be considered for all relevant roles across the Lambert Smith Hampton group of companies, including subsidiary and affiliate companies. We believe that this will ensure that talented people interested in developing their career with us will be considered for the widest range of opportunities that we can provide and will also receive the best candidate experience.

 

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your personal data may be shared with other Lambert Smith Hampton Group subsidiary and affiliate companies in support of this objective. All data will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and our Privacy Policy, which can be found here:  Privacy Policy | LSH