Payroll supervisors and managers work as a team to administer their organisation's payroll. They make sure that every member of staff is paid the correct amount of pay on the right date, taking into account payments and deductions such as tax, National Insurance, sick pay, maternity pay and pensions.
A payroll supervisor may:
A payroll manager may:
Payroll staff usually work standard office hours, Monday to Friday. They may work overtime at busy times, such as the end of the financial year. Part-time, flexible and job-sharing opportunities may be available.
The work is office based and staff spend most of the day sitting at a desk using computers, calculators and the telephone. More senior staff may also travel to meetings.
Starting salaries for payroll supervisors range from £21,000 to £26,000 a year. Payroll managers may earn over £40,000.
There are around 50,000 people in the UK who work wholly in payroll and a further 50,000 where payroll is part of their job. Payroll staff are employed by organisations in every industry sector, including:
- Local Government
- Finance
- Retail
- Manufacturing
- The NHS
Some payroll staff work for payroll bureaux. These are organisations that undertake payroll services on behalf of employers that do not have their own payroll departments.
Vacancies may be advertised in local newspapers, and by Connexions centres, Jobcentre Plus offices and recruitment agencies. Many vacancies are also advertised on recruitment websites.
Qualifications that may be useful preparation for entry into payroll work include:
Payroll staff may be trained by experienced colleagues or by attending training courses. Training is likely to include how to use specialist payroll and accounting software.
There is a range of qualifications for payroll staff. Courses are offered by many local colleges and private training providers and through distance learning.
Qualifications include:
Payroll apprentices work towards the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Payroll Administration, while Advanced Apprenticeships lead to the Level 3 Certificate.
The Institute of Payroll Professionals (IPP) offers a set of three one-day National Payroll Certificate courses. It also offers a foundation degree in payroll management accredited by the University of Worcester. The course takes three years and incorporates the IPP Practitioner Certificate in Payroll, Advanced Practitioner Certificate in Payroll and Diploma in Payroll Management.
IPP also offers the one-year part-time Advanced Diploma in Applied Payroll Management at the University of Derby. A further eight months' study can lead to an honours degree in payroll management. An MSc in business and payroll management is available through distance learning over three years.
Payroll Alliance offers four BTEC/Edexcel accredited qualifications:
Oil Drilling Roustabouts and Roughnecks work as part of a small team on offshore oil or gas drilling rigs or production platforms. Roustabouts do unskilled manual labouring jobs on rigs and platforms, and Roughneck is a promotion from roustabout.
Roustabouts do basic tasks to help keep the rig and platform working efficiently and Roughnecks do practical tasks involved in the drilling operation, under the supervision of the driller.
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A payroll supervisor or manager should:
Senior payroll staff can use their skills to transfer to other areas of work in accounting and finance, and human resources.
Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT),
140 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4HY
Tel: 0845 863 0800
Website: www.aat.org.uk and www.aat.org.uk/yourbigfuture
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers
Tel: 0845 060 2345
Website: www.bookkeepers.org.uk
International Association of Book-Keepers (IAB),
Suite 30, 40 Churchill Square, Kings Hill,
West Malling, Kent ME19 4YU
Tel: 0844 330 3527
Website: www.iab.org.uk
Local Government Careers
Websites: www.lgjobs.com
Payroll Alliance,
2 Addiscombe Road,
Croydon CR9 5AF
Tel: 020 8401 1828/9
Website: www.payrollalliance.com