Annual Salary
£22,000 to £50,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Payroll managers manage the payroll department within an organisation.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: between 8am and 6pm;
There will be
2.3% fewer Payroll manager jobs in 2027.
You may:
You could work in an office.
You can get into this job through:
You can do an introductory course in bookkeeping and payroll, which can be studied at a college or by distance learning. Courses include:
You could also do a T Level in Accounting and apply for trainee payroll manager roles. You could gain further qualifications on the job, through part-time study or a higher apprenticeship.
With payroll experience you may then be able to move into a managerial position.
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeships relevant to this role include:
You may be able to work your way up from these apprenticeships, with experience, to a managerial position.
You'll usually need:
You could start as a payroll administrator and get training and experience on the job. You'll usually need several years' experience in payroll before moving into management.
You may be able to join a payroll department if you've worked as a manager elsewhere, although you will need experience in accounts.
You could take qualifications in payroll like those offered by The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals or the Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers.
Courses are available from introductory basics through to foundation degree level and higher. It's recommended that you're working in a payroll department to do the higher level qualifications.
You'll need a good understanding of payroll legislation.
You'll find more advice about careers in payroll from The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals.
With experience, you could work in the finance department of larger companies or public sector organisations like local authorities or the NHS.
You could move into pensions management or do further training to qualify as an accountant.
You could also work for a payroll bureau that provides payroll services to other companies.
You'll need: