Payroll Manager Job Descriptions

Payroll Manager job descriptions capture the core duties and responsibilities of people who ensure employees are paid for their work. The payroll manager job descriptions are one of the most common jobs found in organizations. It is such a central and important role because of the role it plays in having a motivated workforce.

A Payroll Manager is in charge of managing a company's payroll process. This includes ensuring that all employees are paid correctly and on time and handling payroll taxes and other related tasks. The Payroll Manager must be well-versed in statutory requirements related to payroll management. Above this, they need to be able to use payroll software.

Payroll Manager Job Descriptions: Overall Purpose

To provide payroll management services to the organization by ensuring all employees are paid correctly and on time. This includes ensuring that all the necessary deductions are handled correctly and remitted to the relevant stakeholders on time.

Payroll Manager Job Descriptions: Primary duties

• Pay employees their salaries by processing payroll data accurately.
• Ensures payroll deductions are made by inputting ad-hoc deductions and other statutory deductions.
• Remits all statutory deductions by liaising with the relevant departments. 
• Ensure the accuracy of payroll data by verifying employee information, hours worked, and other relevant data.
• Maintains accurate pre and post-payroll processing records by developing a mechanism for tracking payroll transactions and employee information.
• Resolves employee inquiries by tracking and responding to all received inquiries within specified time frames.
• Prepares reports by analyzing payroll input and output files.
• Maintains accurate payroll records by filing all transactions electronically.
• Creates recoverable files of payroll data by backing up files after payroll processing.
• Maintains auditable files by providing records and all the necessary documentation to auditors.
• Updates the payroll software by checking for updates from the payroll software vendor.
• Remit taxes to the relevant authorities by deducting correct taxes from each employee's pay.
• Supervises payroll clerks by ensuring that each one of them is allocated work.
• Ensures input errors are minimized by collaborating with the human resources and the accounts departments.
• Ensures the payroll is processed accurately and on time by supervising the payroll team.
• Supervises all data input into the payroll by checking the collection, input and output files.

Related: Job Description for Payroll Specialist

Payroll Manager Job Descriptions: Educational Requirements

The qualifications put on the Payroll Manager job descriptions tend to vary as the route to this job can be via an HR or an Accounting/Business qualification. I have noted that in this job, you can get people with other backgrounds as long as they have the necessary experience supervising a payroll system.

• Degree in human resources, accounting or any commercial degree.
• Knowledge of statutes related to payroll processing is a mandatory requirement. 
• Knowledge of payroll software.

Payroll Manager Job Descriptions: Experience Required

Experience matters more in this job than academic qualifications. Several individuals who work in payroll processing tend to ascend to a managerial role because of the extent of the exposure and level of experience achieved in a payroll processing environment.

• 5 years experience in a payroll processing environment at the supervisor level.
• Experience handling statutory returns related to payroll.
• Experience handling pay-related queries raised by employees.

Payroll Manager Job Descriptions: KSAOs

The KSAOs of the Payroll Manager job descriptions will vary from organization to organization. Below I list the common ones:

• Knowledge of statutory requirements related to payroll processing
• High level of attention to detail.
• High levels of numerical ability.
• Ability to interact with people at all levels.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Good communication skills.
• Excellent administration skills.
• A high degree of proficiency in the Microsoft suite of programs.
• Excellent analytics skills.
• Self-starter.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Ability to do reconciliation.
• Knowledge of basic accounting is mandatory.

Conclusion

The Payroll Manager job descriptions outline what people charged with processing employee salaries do. The ultimate goal for these people is to process worker wages and salaries. They are responsible for ensuring all transactions are processed accurately and on time.

People in this role often possess a degree in Human Resources or commercial degrees. The depth of experience that accrues before ascending to the Payroll Manager level matters most in this role.