MEMBERSHIP INSIGHT
5 minutes with…
Vickie Graham DipM ACIM, Associate director of marketing, CIPP
updates and support to members, so I am working with the team to establish new and innovative ways of communicating to members and the wider profession what we do. What does the future hold for payroll, pensions and reward? The only certainty is that there will be change. The industry is different to how it was in 2003. Developments in legislation and technology have changed the way we do things, but also the impact that payroll has on businesses at a strategic level. As technology helps to automate and simplify some aspects of the payroll function, I would like to see payroll professionals develop their roles at a strategic level to influence reward strategies within their organisations. When studying my post-graduate diploma in marketing I was asked to provide an assignment on emerging themes within my organisation’s industry. At the time, centralised deductions were being discussed and consulted on (pre-RTI); and though this is not something currently ‘on the table’ I think that payroll professionals should consider what their role is and how they add value if the Government were to revisit this idea. What do you do to unwind? Being a new mum, available time is at a premium; but I am a runner and try to fit in at least three runs a week, plus a gym session. I enjoy socialising and watching films, so trips to the cinema are always enjoyable. The most recent film I watched was the new Star Wars film, which I loved. And I enjoy spending time with my little boy. He has just turned eight months and is a joy to be around. I love experiencing everything with him for the first time and we especially enjoy swimming lessons every week. n
Tell us about your involvement with the CIPP Prior to joining the CIPP in August 2003 as a marketing administrator I’d been working for a year at Solihull Council where I had some experience of processing a temp payroll. The head of department there took an interest in my career and though I did not report directly to him we’d have monthly 121s to talk about my career goals and aspirations. At the time I had no idea what I wanted to do, but he saw potential and encouraged me to pursue a career in marketing and public relations, so I looked at local vacancies and saw an advert for a marketing administrator at the IPPM (now CIPP). The role didn’t require marketing experience as the organisation encouraged professional qualifications and education, so I went for it and have never looked back. I was inducted through the CIPP’s payroll training courses, attending the Introduction to PAYE and NICs, Essential additions to payroll basics and the Introduction to statutory payments. Attending these gave me a real insight into what our members do on a day to day basis, as well as an opportunity to find out their motivation for booking so that I could use that in promoting the training course to other payroll professionals. From those early days, I had a new-found respect for payroll and the people who work in the industry. Practising what we preach, the CIPP enrolled me onto professional marketing qualifications with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, through which I have done my certificate, diploma and and most recently
my post-graduate diploma in marketing. In doing these qualifications I have been able to relate to our students on the Foundation Degree, BA and MSc programmes who fit in studies around their job, their family and social lives – not an easy task, but one that is thoroughly rewarding and helps you grow professionally as the learning is based on what you are doing, and could be doing, in your role. Tell us about your role at the CIPP My role is focussed on developing and implementing the marketing and business development strategy. This involves market research to establish what is happening within the industry, what the key trends are, what legislation is impacting on our members and working with my colleagues to: ● develop products and services through our education and membership offering which will be of value to payroll professionals ● promote those products and services to our members, and the wider profession, so that they are aware of support and services available to them. Marketing (and payroll) has changed dramatically since 2003, and therefore much of what I do now involves networking and communicating through social media. Legislation, such as the General Data Protection Regulation, is providing a real opportunity for marketing as there has been an over-reliance and misuse of email marketing. As a membership organisation we have a responsibility to provide
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | March 2018 | Issue 38 8
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