A senior role with the opportunity to shape payroll across Cornerstone.

We have a great opportunity for an experienced payroll professional to lead and influence payroll practice across Cornerstone.

You'll lead the delivery of a high-quality payroll and pension service, strengthen controls and compliance, and drive improvements to systems, processes and ways of working.

Leading your team, you'll ensure around 1,800 colleagues are paid accurately, compliantly and on time, while creating a supportive environment and providing professional advice across the organisation.

Based at our Glasgow, Dundee or Aberdeen office, this role offers hybrid working alongside occasional travel across our branch locations (travel expenses would be reimbursed as set out in Cornerstone’s expense policy with travel reimbursed by HMRC legislation).

About the role

At Cornerstone, our purpose is to enable the people we support to live valued lives in their communities.

As our Payroll Lead, you'll play an important role in ensuring our payroll service supports this purpose while meeting our financial, legal and regulatory responsibilities.

You'll have overall responsibility for the effective delivery of Cornerstone's end-to-end payroll and pension service, providing leadership to our Payroll Business Partners, Payroll Specialists and Payroll Officers.

This is a broad and influential role, combining strategic oversight with hands-on operational leadership. You'll provide assurance that payroll is accurate, compliant, well controlled and delivered to a consistently high standards.

You'll act as a senior point of escalation for complex and sensitive payroll matters, while working closely with Finance, People, HMRC, pension providers, auditors, advisers and system providers.

You'll also play a key role in using payroll data, insight and analysis to identify risks, improve service quality and support better decision-making.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the accurate, timely and compliant delivery of monthly payroll and pension services.
• Lead, support and develop the Payroll Team, creating a positive, accountable and customer-focused environment.
• Review and approve payroll before final submission, ensuring appropriate checks, reconciliations and authorisations are completed.
• Maintain effective payroll controls, segregation of duties and clear audit trails.
• Oversee statutory submissions, pension administration, payroll reconciliations, journals, month-end reporting and year-end activities.
• Ensure compliance with payroll, tax, employment, pension and data protection requirements.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and ensure changes are effectively implemented.
• Produce clear payroll analysis and management information for Finance, People and senior leaders.
• Use data to identify trends, exceptions and emerging risks and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead the development and improvement of payroll systems, processes, controls and data quality.
• Provide professional advice and constructive challenge on complex payroll matters.
• Build effective relationships with HMRC, pension providers, auditors, advisers and payroll system providers.
• Represent payroll in relevant organisational meetings, projects and working groups.

What we're looking for

You'll be an experienced payroll leader with the knowledge and confidence to manage a complex, end-to-end payroll service within a large or multi-site organisation.

You'll be comfortable working at both a strategic and operational level, balancing accuracy, compliance, risk and customer service while leading and developing a team.

You'll have strong attention to detail and the ability to interpret complex legislation and translate requirements into clear, practical processes and guidance.

Essential qualifications and experience

• Significant experience of managing or leading an end-to-end payroll and pension service within a large or complex organisation.
• Current and detailed knowledge of PAYE, RTI, National Insurance, statutory payments, pension administration and automatic enrolment.
• Degree-level qualification, CIPP/IPPM qualification or equivalent extensive experience in a senior payroll leadership role.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills, including experience of coaching, developing and motivating payroll colleagues.
• Experience of payroll reconciliations, journals, financial controls, month-end and year-end reporting.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel and payroll data-analysis skills.
• Ability to interpret legislation and translate complex requirements into effective processes, controls and practical guidance.
• Strong risk management, problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills.
• Experience of improving payroll systems, processes, data quality and service performance.
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with integrity and discretion.

Desirable

• Chartered or advanced professional payroll qualification.
• Relevant leadership or management qualification.
• Experience of Access Select Pay or a comparable payroll system.
• Experience of integrated HR and payroll systems or payroll modelling.
• Experience of audit or working with auditors and external advisers.
• Experience within social care, the charity sector, the third sector or another regulated environment.

Why Cornerstone

Our values, Caring, Person-Centred, Professional and Pioneering, underpin how we work and the services we provide.

As Payroll Lead, you'll have the opportunity to influence and strengthen an essential organisational service, develop colleagues and lead meaningful improvements to our payroll systems and processes.

You'll play a key role in ensuring our people are paid accurately and on time, while providing the financial control, assurance and insight that supports Cornerstone to deliver high-quality care and support services across Scotland.

So, if you're an experienced payroll leader looking for a role where you can use your expertise to lead, develop and drive meaningful improvement, we'd like to hear from you. Apply now!

Shortlisted candidates will be invited along to an interview on Friday 23rd October 2026.

The successful candidate will need to undertake a Level 2 Disclosure check through Disclosure Scotland.

Join GCIL and Make a Difference!

Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, GCIL, is a disabled people’s organisation. We work to promote independent living, equality and inclusion for disabled people.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled people and people with lived experience of the issues our work focuses on.

Why Work With Us?

• Meaningful Impact: Your work will make a tangible difference, helping disabled people of all ages to lead independent, fulfilling lives.
• People-Focused: You’ll spend a significant amount of your time communicating — one-to-one, in groups, in the community, and online. If you love engaging with people, this is the role for you.
• Varied Outreach: From delivering training sessions to hosting workshops, events, and drop-ins, you'll be out in the community building understanding and trust.
• Autonomy and Responsibility: Manage your own caseload and represent GCIL confidently through regular verbal and digital communication.
• Professional Growth: We’ll support your development, including your communication, training delivery, and community engagement skills.

About the Role

The role will provide administrative support to the Project Manager and wider project activity, helping to keep the project organised and running smoothly.

This will include arranging meetings, workshops and project activities, keeping accurate records, preparing and sharing project materials, supporting communication with participants and partners, and helping to make sure project information and activities are accessible and inclusive.

The project will involve disabled people, NHS Scotland Learning Partners and other stakeholders in the development and testing of practical toolkit resources.

The Administrator will play an important role in supporting participation, gathering feedback, maintaining project information and helping the team keep track of actions, timelines and evidence.

Additionally, as our Administrator you will:

• Provide administrative support to the Voices at Work NHS Scotland project
• Help coordinate meetings, workshops, stakeholder sessions, site visits and project events
• Maintain accurate project records, including participant information, action logs, feedback, monitoring information and toolkit testing evidence
• Prepare, format and share agendas, workshop materials, feedback forms, toolkit documents and other project resources
• Support clear and inclusive communication with participants, NHS Scotland Learning Partners, stakeholders and GCIL colleagues
• Help coordinate access requirements and accessible formats, such as Braille, large print and audio
• Use Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Forms and SharePoint, to support project administration
• Support monitoring, feedback and reporting processes
• Help manage project resources responsibly and follow GCIL procedures

In order to be successful in this role, you must have:

• Has experience providing administrative support in a busy working environment.
• Is organised, reliable and accurate, with the ability to maintain records, manage information and help keep work on track.
• Has good communication skills and can communicate clearly and respectfully with disabled participants, NHS Scotland Learning Partners, stakeholders and colleagues.
• Is confident using Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
• Can work independently, carrying out agreed tasks with confidence, while also contributing effectively as part of a team.
• Understands the importance of accessibility, inclusion and the meaningful involvement of disabled people.

It would be great if you had:

• Experience working with disabled people, supported lived-experience involvement or co-production, coordinating access arrangements, producing information in accessible formats.
• Using Canva or similar design software.

About GCIL

Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, GCIL, is a disabled people’s organisation. We work to promote independent living, equality and inclusion for disabled people.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled people and people with lived experience of the issues our work focuses on.

We Actively Welcome Disabled Applicants

As a disabled people-led organisation, we are especially keen to hear from disabled people, including those with lived experience of navigating support systems or barriers in society.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. If you have lived experience of disability, we strongly encourage you to apply.

If you need adjustments during the application or interview process, just let us know we're happy to support you.

We guarantee interviews for all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria outlined in the job description.

Ready to Join Us?

If you're passionate about inclusion, empowerment, and social justice and ready to grow your leadership in a values-led environment we'd love to hear from you!

The posts will be primarily based in our Hamilton Office with regular travel to our Glasgow head office, and within the North and South Lanarkshire areas.

Apply now and help shape a more inclusive, equitable society.