PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
# Be Payroll Claudia Tudor MCIPPdip, payroll lead Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), NSF, tells us about her experiences of studying with the CIPP
What course(s) have you studied / are you currently studying? I have studied the CIPP’s Foundation Degree in Payroll Management. I started in year two, after successfully completing the Recognition of Prior Learning in 2019 and then graduated in October 2021. Could you describe your experience of studying with the CIPP? It was a great experience. I enjoyed attending classes on Saturdays, speaking with other colleagues and tutors and exchanging ideas when I was in year two. The exam was exactly what I expected, and if you prepare for it using CIPP materials, you’ll be successful. Year three was all online due to Covid, but my tutor (Ian Walters) was amazing and helped me through all modules, making the year a great learning experience for me. The Graduation Ceremony was fantastic, and I had the greatest sense of achievement when I stepped on that stage. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
outsourced payroll. This was quite different to in-house, but I loved it. I stayed there for about four years, and learned about other EMEA countries’ payrolls, as well as the UK’s. This increased my exposure to: l other legislation l implementation of new EMEA payrolls l project management l vendor management. This allowed me to gain skills which have helped me to get to where I am today, working as an EMEA payroll manager. Do you have any plans for further study with us? If so, what are they and why? I would like to study further but this is on the long-term goals list. “I’m really proud to work in such a rewarding job and I love payroll” What advice do you have for someone who is thinking of studying a qualification with us? Definitely go for it! It will help you to shape your career as you wish. It’s hard work and commitment, especially if you have a family and a job, but it’s worth it. How do you feel about working in payroll? What does working in payroll mean to you? I’m really proud to work in such a rewarding job and I love payroll. It’s never boring. Each day you have something new to do or learn about. You have a huge sense of achievement at the end of month when you see there aren’t many queries, and everything has been processed accurately and on time. I know that, as payroll professionals, we have a lot of responsibility, and this is very often overlooked. Many people, even in leadership positions, believe that all we do is push a button, and miraculously employees get paid. It involves a lot of hard work, determination, attention to detail, multi-tasking, critical thinking, decision making, communication skills, leadership skills and so much more. I love to work in payroll and could not see myself in any other profession. n
Why was it important to you to gain this qualification?
It was important to me to progress in my payroll career, and to have a professional qualification which demonstrated my knowledge in the payroll field. I also wanted to prove I can do it academically, even though English is my second language. Can you describe your payroll career / journey to us so far? Payroll was not first on my list of desired jobs; it was an opportunity that I grasped. I was studying with the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) to get a job in accounting, because this aligned with my work experience in my home country, and I was working as a data analyst on a contract basis. The contract was soon to expire, so I was looking for any office job really. I took a role as payroll administrator for a council. I had no experience in payroll whatsoever, but I learned a lot during my period working there. I particularly enjoyed performing manual calculations and putting my maths skills to work. After almost two years, I joined a private company, dealing with
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 91 | June 2023
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