Looking at your options and want to work as a payroll manager?
As Payroll Manager it is your job to manage the payroll department within an organisation. If you’re good with numbers and would like a position with lots of responsibility, this job could be the ideal position for you.
You definitely need to possess the management skills to lead, motivate and develop a team of people. You also need to handle pressure really well as you will most certainly be working to tight deadlines in this position.
To get into this job you would usually need experience in payroll. Employers are likely to be more interested in your skills, track record and industry knowledge than your formal qualifications.
Your Working Day
As a payroll manager, you run a payroll department or team responsible for paying wages correctly and on time. If you work within a payroll bureau that provides payroll services for a number of different clients, you could manage a number of teams.
Your management responsibilities would involve:
- Supervising and training the payroll team
- Creating payroll policies and procedures
- Advising on tax and pay laws
- Managing computer software and systems
- Analysing and reporting on financial data
- Checking and auditing payroll to make sure regulations are met.
You could also be in charge of a company benefit scheme, making sure that benefits like medical care, pensions or bonuses are managed properly. Working with the human resources department, you could also conduct equal pay reviews or get involved in staff recruitment.
In smaller teams or companies, you might also carry out general payroll administration duties together with your team, including:
- Calculating and issuing pay by cash, cheque or electronic transfer
- Deducting tax and national insurance payments
- Processing holiday, sick and maternity pay and expenses
- Calculating overtime, shift payments and pay increases.
Working hours and conditions
In a full-time job you would usually work, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Part-time and temporary work are both widely available.
You would normally be based in an office and you could spend most of your time working at a computer.
Entry requirements
You usually need up to five years’ experience in payroll before progressing into management.
For jobs at management level, employers are likely to be more interested in your skills, experience and industry knowledge than your formal qualifications. You would usually be expected to have a good knowledge of payroll legislation.
You may be able to join a payroll department with experience as a manager or team leader in another type of office environment. You would usually need to have some experience of accounts.
Training and development
You would be expected to have a good knowledge of payroll practices and laws before starting as a payroll supervisor or manager. When you start a new job, your employer will usually provide on-the-job training in their own company systems and procedures.
Skills, interests and qualities
To be a payroll manager you should have:
- The ability to lead and motivate a team
- Good mathematical and IT skills
- Good spoken and written communication skills
- An organised approach
- Logical thinking and problem-solving ability
- A high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- The ability to manage your time and meet deadlines
- Honesty
- Respect for confidential information.
Finding a job
The use of recruitment agencies is one of the best ways to look for a job as Payroll Manager. If you pick the right one, you will quite possibly partner with them for your career not just to find you new jobs but they may also help you with market and salary information, careers advice, resume advice and even for recruitment within your own company if the need arises.
It is therefore imperative that you work with the best recruitment consultants you can find. You can find good recruitment agencies via research – look at websites and see if any testimonials are published.
Make sure you research and that you work with recruitment consultants who have either worked in the area that you have been involved in or who have been in recruitment in that sector for a long period of time.
Working with a recruitment agency should be a partnership. For the consultant it is in their interest to get you a job as they will be paid by their client if they get it right. For you, the time and effort of finding the right role for you should be eliminated as you should have an experienced, knowledgeable and professional recruitment consultant working on your behalf.
If you work with a professional, experienced and knowledgeable recruitment consultant they will communicate with you very well and will give you lots of information to enable you to not only get an interview but also to do well in the recruitment process!
Good luck!
