We’re Hiring: Payroll Manager | Learning Partners Academy Trust (Guildford-based)

LPT Grade 10 £48,365 - £52,504 per annum FTE

Actual Salary - £45,200.93 - £49,069.16 per annum pro rata, based on 36 hours per week, 42 weeks per year (term time plus 3 additional non-term time week).

Make a Meaningful Impact in Education

Are you a payroll professional with a passion for precision and a desire to make a real difference in people’s working lives? Join Learning Partners Academy Trust as our Payroll Manager—a newly created, high-impact role designed to shape and lead payroll and pension operations across our expanding multi-academy trust.

You’ll be the driving force behind a timely, accurate and efficient payroll function, supporting 16+ schools and our central team. If you thrive in a collaborative environment, are solutions-focused, and enjoy bringing clarity and consistency to complex systems—this is the role for you.

The role is based at the Learning Partners Academy Trust central offices in Guildford but there will be occasional travel across our schools.

Location: Central Team Office, Guildford (with travel across trust schools)

Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Application Deadline: Friday 16th May 2025

ABOUT LEARNING PARTNERS ACADEMY TRUST

Learning Partners is a growing and thriving multi-academy trust, working with 16 schools in Surrey. The trust provides a wider range of services to support schools; the operational support services are led by a team consisting of the Heads of our key departments – HR, Finance, Governance, Estates and IT.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and manage our outsourced payroll and pensions provision, ensuring compliance and accuracy every month.
• Act as the key liaison between school-based professionals and our external payroll provider.
• Train and support School Business Professionals, helping them navigate payroll processes with confidence.
• Onboard new schools into our trust’s payroll systems and processes.
• Drive improvements in payroll policy, systems, and staff benefits.
• Support strategic projects including system transitions, pay standardisation, and internal audits.

Why Join Us?

✅ A Role That Matters – Help ensure our dedicated staff are paid accurately and on time, every time.

✅ A Growing Trust – Be part of an expanding organisation where your input will help shape the future of payroll provision.

✅ Flexible & Forward-thinking – We’re open to new ideas and new ways of achieving high performance results.

✅ Professional Development – Work closely with experienced HR, finance, and operational leaders while growing your own expertise.

✅ Inspiring Values – Join a trust committed to integrity, innovation, and making learning better for all.

What We’re Looking For

• CIPP qualified (or equivalent experience)
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a similar payroll role, ideally within education or multi-academy trust settings
• Strong understanding of PAYE, pension schemes (TPS/LGPS), and statutory requirements
• Experience working with HR/payroll systems
• A confident communicator who can simplify complex processes for non-specialists
• Organised, proactive, and collaborative—you'll be someone who takes ownership and delivers results

Additional Details

Full driving licence desirable (travel to other school sites required)

Enhanced DBS check required (we are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of children and young people)

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Nicola Riley, Head of HR, on nriley @learningpartners.org.

Join us and be part of something bigger—bringing operational excellence to a trust that values every person and every role.

Learning Partners Academy Trust – Ambition for All | Better Together | Learning that Inspires | Brave Innovators | Guided by Integrity