Overview

Payroll Assistant role at EQ Accountants, part of the Sumer Group

Application Deadline: 30 November 2025

Department: Business Outsourcing

Location: Edinburgh

At EQ Accountants, we believe that at the core of our success is our people. We are more than just a team of financial experts; we are partners in our clients’ journeys. For over 20 years, we have taken pride in championing SMEs, delivering bespoke accounting solutions that drive growth and success for our clients. Our journey from a single office to 10 thriving locations reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence and we are now looking for a talented individual to join us and be part of our exciting growth story.

We are an employer who cares; where individuals are supported to reach their personal and professional goals. We’re committed to continuous learning, providing ongoing training and development opportunities to help you stay ahead of the curve. This includes investing in the latest technology, sharing best practice and creating a One EQ ethos that brings our values to life.

Role overview

We are seeking people who are enthusiastic, willing to learn and develop their understanding of a career in Business Services. Our Team has an excellent reputation for providing a variety of accounting services to clients, including bookkeeping, payroll, VAT returns and management accounts. We are looking for someone who is ideally coming from a payroll bureau background, however we are open to providing this opportunity to candidates from various backgrounds who have great communication skills, are enthusiastic, willing to learn and undergo training.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing a payroll service to clients on a weekly, fortnightly, and monthly basis.
• Uploading payslips and other information to Sage online documents.
• Processing employee information and preparing payslips.
• Creating, evaluating, and submitting reports to clients.
• Reporting to HMRC on various issues.
• Uploading pensions to the relevant pension provider each pay period.
• Providing advice and guidance on the more complex aspects of payroll, pay and benefits to clients.
• Advising clients of and PAYE liability due to HMRC.
• Applying, deducting, and advising clients of any Earnings Arrestment’s deducted.
• Reporting to HMRC each pay period by the required deadline dates.
• Reporting and recoverable statutory payments and Apprenticeship Levy to HMRC.
• Manual Calculations on all elements (Tax, NIC, Director NIC, Student Loan, Earnings Arrestment’s & Pensions).
• We are an approved BACS Bureau – we are responsible for making salary & PAYE payments on behalf of our clients each month, by the required dates.
• CIS – Preparation and submission of monthly CIS Returns and CIS Suffered submissions to HMRC.
• Building effective and long-term working relationships with each of your clients.

Our Ideal Candidate will have

• Excellent communication skills - engaging with clients over the phone and via email is an essential and important part of this role
• Experience working in high pressured environments and are able to work on various projects at one time
• You\'ll be proactive and enthusiastic - wanting to absorb as much information and training as possible to really excel in your role
• General knowledge of the payroll process from start to finish would be beneficial
• Experience in Sage or Xero (desirable)
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel

Why work for EQ?

We are an employer who cares; where individuals are supported to reach their personal and professional goals. At EQ, you’ll find a supportive environment where your goals are our goals. We’re committed to continuous learning, providing ongoing training and development opportunities to help you stay ahead of the curve. This includes investing in the latest technology, sharing best practice and creating a One EQ ethos that brings our values to life.

With our recent growth, we have been able to deliver Phase Two of our benefits enhancement plan… and we are not stopping there!

When you join EQ you can expect:

• Competitive salary
• 33 days annual leave, with additional leave entitlements after three and five years\' service
• Pension (up to 5% employee contribution, matched by EQ)
• Life insurance (4 x annual salary)
• 14 hours paid volunteering time
• Enhanced maternity pay
• Enhanced paternity/partner leave and pay
• Hybrid (one day working from home, following probation)
• Private medical cover (subject to conditions)
• EE Perks: 20% off your monthly plan, plus an additional five codes for friends and family
• Income protection
• Continuous training and support
• Excellent work culture with social events throughout the year

If you’re passionate about people, driven by purpose, and excited to grow with a forward-thinking accountancy firm who are With You every step of the way, we’d love to hear from you.

Seniority level

• Entry level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Human Resources
• Industries