• Job Description

  Req#: C9301-25-0678?language=en&page=729&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  Do you have experience of managing an NHS Workforce related system and service, with an expert working knowledge of the processes required to implement, support, and optimize the service's delivery.

  Do you have a have a passion for driving improvement and innovation? Do you thrive on leading teams and influencing change? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!

  Main duties of the job

  We are looking for an innovative ESR Lead & Head of Pay Services to take ownership of the ESR system and lead four essential services: Payroll, Pensions, ESR Workstructures, and Healthroster.

  In this key role, you will:

  • be the ESR lead and champion, ensuring ESR is embedded as the single source of workforce data across the Trust.
  • influence and engage stakeholders across MPFT and externally to maximise the use of ESR and implement system benefits and improvements.
  • monitor and support the ESR Transformation Programme, leading the Trust's successful transition to its replacement.
  • strategically lead four essential services - Payroll, Pensions, ESR Workstructures, and Healthroster, and use specialist knowledge and expertise, to ensure the successful delivery of these services, monitoring performance, driving continuous improvement, and optimising processes for efficiency.
  • provide hands-on support for complex escalations from the teams and maintain service efficiency in line with organisational goals.

  If you're ready to take the lead in shaping the future of MPFT's ESR & Pay Services section, apply today!

  About us

  By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by;

  • Supporting your career development and progression
  • Excellent NHS Pension scheme
  • Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
  • Options for flexible working
  • Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days)
  • Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
  • If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
  • Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
  • Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
  • Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
  • Free car parking at all trust sites
  • Free flu vaccinations every year
  • Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)

  We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.

  Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.

  Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications

  Details

  Date posted

  28 May 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 8b

  Salary

  £62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

  Reference number

  301-JP-25-7225379

  Job locations

  Trust HQ, Mellor House

  Corportation Street.

  Stafford

  ST16 3SR

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  As Pay Services Manager

  Responsible for using highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise to lead the delivery of a high quality, customer focused, optimised service by each of the following four teams

  • Payroll team
  • Pension team
  • ESR Workstructure team
  • Healthroster team

  Responsibilities include -

  Service quality, compliance and assurance

  • Monitoring each teams performance to ensure that -
    • service delivery standards are achieved,
    • dataprovided to support other teams, systems, and processes is timely and accurate and shared efficiently
    • relevant regulations and processes are complied with e.g.
      • HMRC, PAYE and other statutory employment related regulations e.g. Auto enrolment/re-enrolment, year end requirements, etc.
      • NHS Pension Scheme regulations
      • NHS Terms & Conditions of service, local policies, SOPs and procedures, SFIs, GDPR

  Nurtures a culture of continuous improvement to deliver efficiencies and to address challenges, ensuring that high service standards are maintained at all times. This includes efficiencies that can be delivered by facilitating cross team working within the section.

  Monitors each teams audits and reviews any resulting recommendations with the team manager. Supports the manager to ensure that the necessary recommendations are implemented appropriately.

  Overall responsibility for the services suite of e-forms. Required updates and new form requests are escalated to this role by the team for review. Advises on the best way to deliver against the request. Gives final approval to go live following successful testing of changes made.

  Gives final approval to go live with any changes to, or new Healthroster elements that are mapped to the payroll interface to automate payment.

  Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) & Efficiency

  Produces monthly KPIs for the section. Tracks and analyses the KPIs, including accuracy, timeliness, output, and trends.

  Addresses performance issues through targeted improvements e.g. volume of overpayments, late e-form submissions, repeated DAFs, POL reported Pension errors and identifies and leads on method needed (e.g. training) to optimise workflow, reduce re-work and errors and improve efficiency.

  Flags trends and prepares for any necessary action. e.g. increasing heads on payroll, RLDatix licences.

  Promotes the teams successes.

  Gathers and shares statistics for the services annual bench parking exercise.

  Issue Resolution & Escalation Management

  Acts as a point of escalation for complex service-related issues for each team.

  Troubleshoots, investigates root causes, and implements solutions with team managers, with a lessons learned approach.

  Works closely with internal teams and external partners to keep them informed and resolve escalated challenges.

  Team Support & Development

  Provides ongoing support, guidance, and where necessary training, to ensure that the Sections managers and their teams are equipped to succeed.

  Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.

  Where practical, consults with each team on developments.

  Holds structured 1:1 weekly meetings with each manager to ensure effective communication, service delivery oversight, issue resolution and to provide a platform for updates, escalations, and strategic alignment.

  Chairs a weekly Section Managers meeting to share intelligence, ensuring teams are informed and can share challenges and issues, facilitating Section cross team working and mutual support.

  Conducts six monthly performance reviews and feedback sessions

  Strategic Direction & Continuous Improvement

  Horizon scans to identify emerging trends, regulatory changes, and system updates that impact on each teams service delivery.

  Liaises with HR and other teams to interpret, apply, and document regulatory and system changes. Writes and contributes to Trust policies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and interdepartmental processes.

  Leads the review and adoption of new service related ESR developments, ensuring compliance and efficiency gains.

  Supports team managers to develop, update, and document team processes, ensuring they align with best practices and organisational policies.

  Leads planning for large-scale projects, e.g. new payroll contracts, large scale TUPEs, collaborating with section managers to ensure smooth implementation.

  Drives a culture of continuous improvement, identifying opportunities for service enhancement and innovation.

  Facilitate cross-team collaboration by encouraging knowledge sharing, problem-solving, and mutual support.

  Attends bi-weekly Senior Team meetings, contributes to the wider Finance agenda through the provision of technical advice in relation to the use and development of the services contained in this job description

  Oversees and advises on the Optima contract (Rldatix formerly Allocate).

  Is the ESR and Healthroster systems Asset owner

  As ESR Lead

  Acts as the subject matter expert for the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system within the Trust.

  Acts as the key liaison between the Trust and external ESR representatives to stay informed on system improvements and developments. Receives and cascades updates.

  Continuously promotes ESR as the one source of truth for workforce data needs. Works collaboratively across the Trust when its identified that processes would benefit from using ESR workforce data e.g. e-form creation, sharing ESR data for use in existing systems. Documents requirements - see below.

  Collaborates with IT teams to optimise the use of workforce data, ensuring it seamlessly supports other systems and organisational processes.

  Acts as ESR data owner. Ensures that shared ESR data is used appropriately. Creates ESR Data Sharing Agreements (DSA) for any new requests for ESR data, advising on and documenting how ESR data should be used. Updates existing DSAs when the required data set changes.

  Fosters strong inter-directorate relationships across teams that use ESR, creating a virtual single team environment where collaborative working maximizes Trust ESR benefits.

  Leads a monthly MPFT Workforce Systems meeting attended by stakeholders where updates to workforce systems (ESR and Rldatix products), workforce regulations and upcoming pieces of work with cross team/directorate interdependencies are shared. Facilitates knowledge sharing, problem-solving, and mutual support.

  Leads/contributes to projects that are inter-directorate and ESR driven e.g. Applicant Dashboard.

  Leads and coordinates MPFTs annual ESR Healthcheck

  Works closely with the ESR Workstructures manager to ensure that MPFTs ESR Workstructures, Organisational set up and supporting processes are optimised to deliver accurate workforce reporting e.g. Establishment control.

  Attends ESR Special Interest Group meetings.

  Monitors the ESR Transformation Programme and plays a key role in successfully moving the Trust to ESRs replacement in line with the national roll out plan.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  As Pay Services Manager

  Responsible for using highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise to lead the delivery of a high quality, customer focused, optimised service by each of the following four teams

  • Payroll team
  • Pension team
  • ESR Workstructure team
  • Healthroster team

  Responsibilities include -

  Service quality, compliance and assurance

  • Monitoring each teams performance to ensure that -
    • service delivery standards are achieved,
    • dataprovided to support other teams, systems, and processes is timely and accurate and shared efficiently
    • relevant regulations and processes are complied with e.g.
      • HMRC, PAYE and other statutory employment related regulations e.g. Auto enrolment/re-enrolment, year end requirements, etc.
      • NHS Pension Scheme regulations
      • NHS Terms & Conditions of service, local policies, SOPs and procedures, SFIs, GDPR

  Nurtures a culture of continuous improvement to deliver efficiencies and to address challenges, ensuring that high service standards are maintained at all times. This includes efficiencies that can be delivered by facilitating cross team working within the section.

  Monitors each teams audits and reviews any resulting recommendations with the team manager. Supports the manager to ensure that the necessary recommendations are implemented appropriately.

  Overall responsibility for the services suite of e-forms. Required updates and new form requests are escalated to this role by the team for review. Advises on the best way to deliver against the request. Gives final approval to go live following successful testing of changes made.

  Gives final approval to go live with any changes to, or new Healthroster elements that are mapped to the payroll interface to automate payment.

  Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) & Efficiency

  Produces monthly KPIs for the section. Tracks and analyses the KPIs, including accuracy, timeliness, output, and trends.

  Addresses performance issues through targeted improvements e.g. volume of overpayments, late e-form submissions, repeated DAFs, POL reported Pension errors and identifies and leads on method needed (e.g. training) to optimise workflow, reduce re-work and errors and improve efficiency.

  Flags trends and prepares for any necessary action. e.g. increasing heads on payroll, RLDatix licences.

  Promotes the teams successes.

  Gathers and shares statistics for the services annual bench parking exercise.

  Issue Resolution & Escalation Management

  Acts as a point of escalation for complex service-related issues for each team.

  Troubleshoots, investigates root causes, and implements solutions with team managers, with a lessons learned approach.

  Works closely with internal teams and external partners to keep them informed and resolve escalated challenges.

  Team Support & Development

  Provides ongoing support, guidance, and where necessary training, to ensure that the Sections managers and their teams are equipped to succeed.

  Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.

  Where practical, consults with each team on developments.

  Holds structured 1:1 weekly meetings with each manager to ensure effective communication, service delivery oversight, issue resolution and to provide a platform for updates, escalations, and strategic alignment.

  Chairs a weekly Section Managers meeting to share intelligence, ensuring teams are informed and can share challenges and issues, facilitating Section cross team working and mutual support.

  Conducts six monthly performance reviews and feedback sessions

  Strategic Direction & Continuous Improvement

  Horizon scans to identify emerging trends, regulatory changes, and system updates that impact on each teams service delivery.

  Liaises with HR and other teams to interpret, apply, and document regulatory and system changes. Writes and contributes to Trust policies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and interdepartmental processes.

  Leads the review and adoption of new service related ESR developments, ensuring compliance and efficiency gains.

  Supports team managers to develop, update, and document team processes, ensuring they align with best practices and organisational policies.

  Leads planning for large-scale projects, e.g. new payroll contracts, large scale TUPEs, collaborating with section managers to ensure smooth implementation.

  Drives a culture of continuous improvement, identifying opportunities for service enhancement and innovation.

  Facilitate cross-team collaboration by encouraging knowledge sharing, problem-solving, and mutual support.

  Attends bi-weekly Senior Team meetings, contributes to the wider Finance agenda through the provision of technical advice in relation to the use and development of the services contained in this job description

  Oversees and advises on the Optima contract (Rldatix formerly Allocate).

  Is the ESR and Healthroster systems Asset owner

  As ESR Lead

  Acts as the subject matter expert for the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system within the Trust.

  Acts as the key liaison between the Trust and external ESR representatives to stay informed on system improvements and developments. Receives and cascades updates.

  Continuously promotes ESR as the one source of truth for workforce data needs. Works collaboratively across the Trust when its identified that processes would benefit from using ESR workforce data e.g. e-form creation, sharing ESR data for use in existing systems. Documents requirements - see below.

  Collaborates with IT teams to optimise the use of workforce data, ensuring it seamlessly supports other systems and organisational processes.

  Acts as ESR data owner. Ensures that shared ESR data is used appropriately. Creates ESR Data Sharing Agreements (DSA) for any new requests for ESR data, advising on and documenting how ESR data should be used. Updates existing DSAs when the required data set changes.

  Fosters strong inter-directorate relationships across teams that use ESR, creating a virtual single team environment where collaborative working maximizes Trust ESR benefits.

  Leads a monthly MPFT Workforce Systems meeting attended by stakeholders where updates to workforce systems (ESR and Rldatix products), workforce regulations and upcoming pieces of work with cross team/directorate interdependencies are shared. Facilitates knowledge sharing, problem-solving, and mutual support.

  Leads/contributes to projects that are inter-directorate and ESR driven e.g. Applicant Dashboard.

  Leads and coordinates MPFTs annual ESR Healthcheck

  Works closely with the ESR Workstructures manager to ensure that MPFTs ESR Workstructures, Organisational set up and supporting processes are optimised to deliver accurate workforce reporting e.g. Establishment control.

  Attends ESR Special Interest Group meetings.

  Monitors the ESR Transformation Programme and plays a key role in successfully moving the Trust to ESRs replacement in line with the national roll out plan.

  Person Specification

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Qualified to degree level or equivalent experience.
  • Post degree qualification or significant equivalent experience.
  • Leadership or Management Qualification or willingness to work towards

  Desirable

  • Prince 2

  Experience

  Essential

  • Previous experience of managing an NHS workforce related service.
  • Expert working knowledge of an NHS Workforce related system and the processes required to implement, support, and optimize their functionality.
  • Experience of dealing with highly complex facts or processes that require analysis, interpretation, and communicating in a variety of settings, including policy and process documentation.
  • Evidence of project management and successful delivery against the plan.
  • Significant experience of writing or contributing to policy, SOPs or procedures.

  Desirable

  • In depth ESR professional user experience.

  Knowledge

  Essential

  • Highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise across one or more of the Sections services with a willingness to become an expert in the remaining services.
  • Demonstrate understanding of current developments in relation to ESR and their implications for NHS organisations.

  Desirable

  • In depth ESR professional user knowledge.

  Skills

  Essential

  • Demonstrates highly effective communication and interpersonal skills to motivate, negotiate, inspire, persuade and overcome barriers.
  • Demonstrates planning and organisational skills.
  • Demonstrates adaptability and flexibility dependent upon work priorities. Has a Proactive, versatile and problem solving approach.
  • Demonstrates ability to design and manage robust processes that include progress reporting, risk management and benefits realisation
  • Advanced MS Office skills.
  • Robust and persistent in pursuit of objectives, has strong drive for improving performance and efficiency.
  • Exemplary personal standards of conduct and behaviour in line with Trust values. Leads by example.
  • Demonstrates emotional resilience
  • Highly numerate.
  • A passion for and ability to deliver an excellent service to Trust staff and managers and colleagues.

  Desirable

  • In depth ESR professional user knowledge.

  Person Specification

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Qualified to degree level or equivalent experience.
  • Post degree qualification or significant equivalent experience.
  • Leadership or Management Qualification or willingness to work towards

  Desirable

  • Prince 2

  Experience

  Essential

  • Previous experience of managing an NHS workforce related service.
  • Expert working knowledge of an NHS Workforce related system and the processes required to implement, support, and optimize their functionality.
  • Experience of dealing with highly complex facts or processes that require analysis, interpretation, and communicating in a variety of settings, including policy and process documentation.
  • Evidence of project management and successful delivery against the plan.
  • Significant experience of writing or contributing to policy, SOPs or procedures.

  Desirable

  • In depth ESR professional user experience.

  Knowledge

  Essential

  • Highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise across one or more of the Sections services with a willingness to become an expert in the remaining services.
  • Demonstrate understanding of current developments in relation to ESR and their implications for NHS organisations.

  Desirable

  • In depth ESR professional user knowledge.

  Skills

  Essential

  • Demonstrates highly effective communication and interpersonal skills to motivate, negotiate, inspire, persuade and overcome barriers.
  • Demonstrates planning and organisational skills.
  • Demonstrates adaptability and flexibility dependent upon work priorities. Has a Proactive, versatile and problem solving approach.
  • Demonstrates ability to design and manage robust processes that include progress reporting, risk management and benefits realisation
  • Advanced MS Office skills.
  • Robust and persistent in pursuit of objectives, has strong drive for improving performance and efficiency.
  • Exemplary personal standards of conduct and behaviour in line with Trust values. Leads by example.
  • Demonstrates emotional resilience
  • Highly numerate.
  • A passion for and ability to deliver an excellent service to Trust staff and managers and colleagues.

  Desirable

  • In depth ESR professional user knowledge.

  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.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  Additional information

  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.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Trust HQ, Mellor House

  Corportation Street.

  Stafford

  ST16 3SR

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Trust HQ, Mellor House

  Corportation Street.

  Stafford

  ST16 3SR

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

Notice