Payroll Administrator Apprenticeship

Summary

As a Payroll Administrator, you will manage payroll clients from start to finish, overseeing pension schemes, BACs payments, and liaising with HM Revenue & Customs. Responsibilities include setting up new clients, handling advanced payroll tasks, and conducting payroll analysis.

Wage

£15,600 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Payroll administrator (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday 37.5 hour per week, excluding breaks and lunches. 7.5 hours per day. Flexible start and finishing times between 7:30am and 9:30am - working hours to be discussed.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Wednesday 20 May 2026

Duration

1 year 8 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Managing own portfolio of payroll clients from start to finish including a variety of different workplace pension schemes
• BACs payments for clients
• Liaising with HM Revenue Customs
• Setting up new payroll clients
• Advanced payroll work for example, setting up pension schemes, PAYE scheme closures and analysis of payroll
• Liaising with managers and team members with payroll enquires and reporting
• Assisting with training and development for Payroll administrators
• Dealing with employee enquiries
• Liaising with clients directly via email and telephone
• Maintaining files, records and department database
• Dealing with any ad hoc queries
• Tasks on spreadsheets/word documents to complete for analysis tasks helping towards team development
• Organisational tasks to assist the manager and team members
• Providing recommendations to the Manager about client methods procedures on payrolls

Where you'll work

NORTHGATE
118 NORTH STREET
LEEDS
LS2 7PN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MBKB LTD

Training course

Payroll administrator (level 3)

What you'll learn

• gather, analyse and process payroll data and information
• resolve different types of queries that may be presented from payroll customers such as employees, clients, management, explaining and documenting responses
• deal with complaints, following processes and escalating complex situations
• meet client or customer needs in line with service level agreements
• provide customer service using agreed systems and processes, taking ownership for work applying agreed processes for checking
• adhere to deadlines and process schedules both internal and statutory, mitigating the impact on the business, employees and clients of deadlines not being met by reprioritising tasks when dealing with conflicting or changing demands
• select appropriate media for communication etc recognising the advantages and risks related to each method
• escalate concerns relating to deadlines in a timely manner, suggesting solutions
• use the appropriate communication media for each stakeholder for each situation. Examples may include ‘phone, face-to-face, email and letters, communicating and engaging professionally, accurately and appropriately, respecting the principles of data protection and confidentiality
• Build and maintain trust and sound relationships with stakeholders to deliver quality payroll services
• develop and maintain strong working relationships with team colleagues, supporting and collaborating to achieve results, seeking advice when appropriate within parameters of the role
• use computerised payroll software and spreadsheet packages such as MS Excel
• use systems and processes to support the payroll function. Examples may include the provision of accounting information and the Real Time Information submissions to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• gather, analyse and process payroll data and information
• resolve different types of queries that may be presented from payroll customers such as employees, clients, management, explaining and documenting responses
• deal with complaints, following processes and escalating complex situations
• meet client or customer needs in line with service level agreements
• provide customer service using agreed systems and processes, taking ownership for work applying agreed processes for checking
• adhere to deadlines and process schedules both internal and statutory, mitigating the impact on the business, employees and clients of deadlines not being met by reprioritising tasks when dealing with conflicting or changing demands
• select appropriate media for communication etc recognising the advantages and risks related to each method
• escalate concerns relating to deadlines in a timely manner, suggesting solutions
• use the appropriate communication media for each stakeholder for each situation. Examples may include ‘phone, face-to-face, email and letters, communicating and engaging professionally, accurately and appropriately, respecting the principles of data protection and confidentiality
• Build and maintain trust and sound relationships with stakeholders to deliver quality payroll services
• develop and maintain strong working relationships with team colleagues, supporting and collaborating to achieve results, seeking advice when appropriate within parameters of the role
• use computerised payroll software and spreadsheet packages such as MS Excel
• use systems and processes to support the payroll function. Examples may include the provision of accounting information and the Real Time Information submissions to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

Training schedule

A 100% tailored training and assessment program will be delivered to support you throughout your Apprenticeship, (21-months including endpoint assessment) topics covered include:

• Business and Customer Awareness
• Payroll Core
• Pensions
• Technical Payroll
• Regulations and Compliance
• Systems and Processes
• Planning and Prioritisation
• Analysis skills
• Using Systems and Processes
• Producing Quality and Accurate Information and Reports

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Range including Maths and English (grade 4/C or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Administrative skills
• Number skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience