Payroll usually sits within finance or HR.  Candidates are either part of a larger payroll team, do a stand-alone payroll position or do payroll as part of their job role.

When they are part of the wider Finance team, the Payroll Officer will process the weekly and monthly payrolls for all employees in the business, including expenses, pension contributions, P11Ds and provide periodic management information and reports as required by the business.

In a stand-alone role or part of a payroll team their duties tend to be more like the list below:

Key tasks

  • Calculating correct amounts to pay, deductions, overtime, bonuses, allowances for employees
    Inputting data relating to weekly and monthly payments
  • Manually adjusting SMP, SSP, pay rates and other miscellaneous adjustments
  • Ensuring overtime and expenses are signed off by the correct level of authorisation before payment
    Deducting the correct amount of pension contributions, income tax, National Insurance
    • Ensuring pension payments and AOE payments are made to 3rd parties
  • Run reports and produce P45 sending EPS and FPS to HMRC to comply with RTI
  • Produce relevant information, data and forms in relation to employment as required, e.g. SSP1 forms, Maternity Allowance, earnings reports etc.
  • Preparing info for the payroll journal and send to the management accountant to reconcile and post
  • Calculating holiday pay
  • Processing year end reports

Person Specification

  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Respecting confidential information
  • Problem solving abilities and logical thinking
  • Having ability to work to strict deadlines
  • Having good communication skills to be able to deal with any queries
  • Managing potential conflict and pressurised situations