Payroll administrator
Administration

Related videos on a payroll administrator

How to become a payroll administrator

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly
• a specialist course run by a professional body

College

You can do an introductory course in bookkeeping and payroll, which can be studied at a college or by distance learning. Courses include:

• Foundation Certificate in Bookkeeping
• Level 1 Certificate in Payroll
• Level 1 or 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping

College (Entry requirements)

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through an advanced apprenticeship as a payroll administrator.

Apprenticeship (Entry requirements)

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Direct application

You could apply directly for job vacancies. Some employers will expect you to have GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including maths. While experience in payroll isn't always essential, a background in bookkeeping and accounts could help improve your job prospects.

Other routes

You can do qualifications offered by The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals to help get into this job. Qualifications vary from introductory courses to postgraduate level.

More info

You can find out more about careers in payroll from The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals.

What it takes

Skills & Knowledge

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• administration skills
• the ability to work well with others
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work on your own
• maths knowledge
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• knowledge of English language
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you'll do

Day to day

Your day-to-day duties will usually include:

• checking how many hours employees have worked
• 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
• answering staff queries about timesheets or pay slips
• issuing P45s and other tax forms

Working environment

You could work in an office.

Career path and progression

Career path & progression

With experience, you could progress to payroll supervisor or manager.