Payroll officer

Band 3 · Payroll officer · 232 job evaluation points

Payroll officers process pay changes and calculate pay for a group of staff, following procedures and checking their work before each payroll closes.

Responsibilities

Enter starters, leavers, and contract changes into the payroll system from authorised forms.
Calculate pay, including overtime, enhancements, sickness, and family leave payments.
Apply tax, pension, and other deductions correctly.
Answer pay queries from staff and managers tactfully and confidentially.
Check payroll outputs for errors and correct them before the payroll closes.
Follow payroll controls and information governance rules.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
PayrollThis reference	Working (2)	You can: calculate pay, enhancements, overtime, sickness, and family leave payments apply tax, pension, and other deductions correctly check payroll outputs and correct errors before payment recover overpayments sensitively and in line with policy
Finance systemsThis reference	Working (2)	You can: use spreadsheets well, including formulas, lookups, and pivot tables maintain finance system data, such as cost centres, suppliers, and approvers report and help fix system problems
Financial controls and auditThis reference	Awareness (1)	You can: follow the organisation's financial procedures and schemes of delegation recognise signs of possible fraud or error and report them
TaxThis reference	Awareness (1)	You can: recognise sales tax on invoices and code it correctly explain when to ask a tax specialist for advice
Communicating informationUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: listen to the needs of design and business stakeholders and interpret information take part in discussions within a multidisciplinary team be an advocate for the team externally, and can manage differing perspectives shape and share communications relevant to the audience
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Awareness (1)	You can: describe the main parts of the health and care system and the services the organisation supports explain why patient safety and confidentiality matter in your work

Typical qualifications and experience

An entry-level payroll qualification, or equivalent experience of payroll processing.

Band 3 outline

Knowledge: Knowledge of a range of procedures, some non-routine; typically a level 3 qualification or equivalent experience.
Autonomy: Works within procedures; decides how to organise own work; refers problems upward.
Scope: Own work and some tasks for the wider team.
Leadership: May allocate routine work or train others in procedures.
Accountability: Accuracy of own work and of records kept.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	3	Gives routine information needing tact or persuasion, or complex or sensitive information, or straightforward training to groups.	21
Knowledge, training, and experience	3	A range of procedures, some non-routine, needing base-level theory (for example a level 3 qualification or equivalent experience).	60
Analytical and judgemental skills	2	Judgements on facts or situations, some needing analysis.	15
Planning and organisational skills	2	Plans straightforward tasks or activities, some ongoing.	15
Physical skills	3	Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.	27
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	1	Follows policies set by others; may comment on changes.	5
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	3	Authorises payments, buys some assets or supplies, monitors or holds a delegated budget, or maintains assets.	21
Responsibility for people	1	Shows own work routines to new or less experienced colleagues.	5
Responsibility for information resources	3	Takes formal minutes, regularly writes reports or queries, or maintains information systems as a significant duty.	16
Responsibility for research and development	1	Carries out surveys or audits for own work; occasionally takes part in research or testing.	5
Freedom to act	2	Follows standard procedures and precedent; someone is usually available to ask; work may be checked.	12
Physical effort	2	Frequent sitting or standing in a restricted position, or occasional light to moderate effort.	7
Mental effort	2	Frequent concentration on predictable work, or occasional concentration on unpredictable work.	7
Emotional effort	1	Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	5
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 3: 216 to 270)			232

Financial resources is level 3 because the job processes the pay that the organisation releases to staff. Physical skills is level 3 for fast and accurate data entry.