Payroll jobs are for people who enjoyed maths and accountancy at school. If you are interested in this job title, read on to find out more.

Payroll staff are vital for a company to run smoothly. Your role is to make sure that salaries are paid on time, and that the right amount is paid.

If a business or other institution employs staff, then they will need to process wages or salaries. An organisation can employ a payroll administrator in-house, or outsource the service to a payroll processing company.

Payroll staff will be responsible for handling large transactions and calculations every day. You need to be accurate with your sums or you could run into trouble. You will be working to weekly or monthly deadlines that may make the job stressful at times. Although the role can be demanding, it is satisfying to do it well.

What you can earn

Location, experience and qualifications all play a role in determining salaries. In the UK you can expect to earn between £13,000 and £18,000 for entry level positions. With experience and promotions you can become a manager and earn figures closer to £40,000.

Required actions in the job

• Use time sheets to calculate work hours.
• Work out accurate wages, which includes bonuses, salary raises or paid overtime.
• Tally tax or national insurance deductions and pensions contributions.
• Work out any statutory payments, like maternity, paternity or sick leave pay.
• Meeting deadlines for the transfer of pay into staff bank accounts.
• Providing tax forms when required.
• Processing documents and forms for new staff additions.
• Handle payroll issues.
• Take on duties as required within the human resources department.
• Administrative tasks like filing and printing are also part of the role.