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qualification in 2003, then moved on to the Diploma in Payroll Management, graduating in October 2005. By this point, I knew there was no going back – I’d found my career and was in it for the long haul. I continued to learn and gain experience. Payroll is a forever evolving and changing industry, so there’s always something else in the pipeline to learn. I’ve had several different jobs over the years but always remained in payroll. I’ve worked within in-house teams, on umbrella payrolls and in bureaus. I preferred the bureau and accountancy roles, as I enjoyed providing a service to our clients and helping them through what could often be a minefield. (Remember furlough, anyone?!) My role prior to joining the CIPP was at a well-known global payroll bureau. There, I became more involved in helping my colleagues with legislation, processing queries and giving guidance and support. It was then that I realised I enjoyed helping others and passing on the knowledge I’d gained throughout my career. It felt rewarding being able to make someone’s day a bit easier. In 2025, when a Payroll Advisory Officer role opened up at the CIPP, I knew instantly it was the perfect fit, combining my passion for payroll with my desire to help others and make a real difference to their day. When I was offered the role, I couldn’t believe it, I was going to help those in our profession every single day. So, 20 years after graduating with the CIPP, I joined the Advisory team and I’m loving every moment. You think you know everything about payroll until you work in Advisory. I thought my knowledge was fairly good, but it really was just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more to payroll than what we see in the daily processing world, and I’ve learned so much more since being part of the Advisory team. We’ve all heard of statutory maternity pay, but do you know what happens if an employee leaves during the maternity pay period (MPP) or before their MPP begins, or if they begin work for a new employer? What happens to accrued holiday entitlement when on long-term sick leave? Can a funeral plan be a salary sacrifice benefit? These are just a few of the topics we cover in the Advisory team, so researching and understanding the correct response is paramount in what we do. So is being able to provide the correct guidance and legislation to support our responses. Since beginning this role, I’ve realised that the answers may not always be clearly
written or specified, and that legislation and guidance can be very interpretive. Although every type of specific eventuality isn’t listed, sometimes you must read between the lines and decipher the written word. The Advisory team is here to help with that, to find the answers and fully understand them so we can then respond to members’ questions in plain English, and without sometimes confusing legislative terms. Due to the ever-changing nature of the payroll industry, it’s important to keep up to date. At the CIPP, we have many resources available to help enhance our knowledge. These have been valuable to me throughout my career and in my role in Advisory, and they can be useful tools in our members’ careers too. To name just a few we have: l this very magazine l factsheets l guides l BeKnowledgeable sessions l webcasts l articles l FAQs l News Online l Payroll QuickLearn l ‘Behind the Button’ podcast episodes l webinars l events, such as Pay Live and our Annual Conference and Exhibition. We also offer a range of training and qualifications for pay professionals of all levels. Please visit our website to access our resources and find out more: https://ow.ly/nQqJ50Y7zR1. I’m thoroughly enjoying my role at the CIPP and being part of the Institute that’s leading the future of the pay profession. The Advisory Service is one of our most popular member benefits, and I’ve had the pleasure of assisting many of you so far. I look forward to hopefully helping many more of you in the future. We’ve all been where you are, at the forefront in the payroll trenches. So if you ever have a question and need our help, please reach out to the team, by calling 0121 712 1099 or emailing advisory. service@cipp.org.uk.
H ave you ever had that ‘pinch me’ moment, when you realise you’re in your dream role? That was me when I joined the CIPP in August 2025 as a Payroll Advisory Officer. My story began back in 2001 when I finished school, having started my AS levels but quickly realising that path wasn’t the right one for me. I attended a careers fair and on the vacancy board was a Trainee Payroll Executive role. It was an office job, something to get me started and help me find my feet in the world of employment. At that point, I had no idea what payroll even was, but it seemed to be a promising place to begin my working life. So, in December 2001, I joined a payroll bureau and day by day, I learned something new. My colleagues taught me the basics of payroll, from starters and leavers to tax and National Insurance. Each day drew me in further, as I discovered how it all worked and realised that this was a job with real impact – one which helped to ensure people were paid accurately and on time. As time went on, I took some qualifications to enhance my knowledge and so I had something to show for everything I’d learned. That’s when I first came across the CIPP. I completed the Foundation in Payroll Management
Marie Bennett MCIPPdip CIPP Payroll Advisory Officer
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