MY CIPP MY CIPP
A while ago, you made the transition from being a
want to write for the magazine. Payroll professionals are so passionate and just want to help others by sharing their experiences and advice, and that makes my job absolutely fantastic. Without this support the magazine wouldn’t exist, so thank you to each and every person who’s contributed to the magazine, in whatever form that may be. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in putting together each issue? We’re one of the only membership organisations still to offer a printed magazine, as based on member feedback, many of you like having the physical copy and we want to ensure we provide content that benefits you most. This does, however, mean deadlines can sometimes be a challenge, given that payroll is constantly changing. Sometimes, news is out of date by the time our printed magazine lands with members, but we do work around this by offering the online version, which we can update accordingly. We can also provide the relevant updates in future issues of the printed magazine where required. How do you collaborate with other departments or contributors to ensure the magazine’s content is engaging and informative? I keep in regular contact with the Policy and Research Team and the Advisory Service, to find out what payroll professionals are querying and to ensure the content we put out caters to their wants and needs. This also keeps me abreast of any government developments we may need to cover to keep payrollers up to date, and on top of this, I regularly liaise with various government departments, including HM Revenue and
Customs, the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions. I’m also kept up to date regarding internal CIPP / IPPE news and those important and exciting updates, such as new qualification offerings, which need to be shared with members through the magazine’s pages. I have strong links with several external magazine contributors, who keep me on the ball and help to ensure I provide updates on a variety of interesting topics to our members. What advice would you give to someone in the industry who would like to start writing articles? Link in with me and believe in yourself! I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but so many people I speak to are anxious about writing, as it isn’t something they do in their day-to-day payroll roles. But they surprise themselves with what they can achieve, often with little or no intervention from me. If payroll is your passion, this will flow out in your writing; I’m just there to support and to get your amazing content out to your peers. Outside of work, what are some of your interests or hobbies? When I’m not looking after my two children and / or two dogs, I love going to see live music. I’d say I go to gigs more these days, as I don’t really get the opportunity to go to music festivals anymore, given that they’re usually further away and span a few days. I’m also an avid crime drama fan and spend way too many hours watching various detectives figure out who the culprit is. In fact, I’m pretty sure I have enough knowledge to solve a few crimes myself now. o
policy and research officer to becoming editor. How did you find the move, and the new role? Despite no longer sitting directly in the Policy Team, I’ll always be a policy girl at heart. Once you become accustomed to staying alert to updates and changes in the legislation space, and to always striving to raise the profile of the profession, I don’t think it ever leaves you. I was still checking for payroll policy announcements on the news while I was off on maternity leave, much to the amusement of my family and friends! These key skills have transferred across to my role as editor of the magazine and help me in my day-to- day activities. During my time as editor, I’ve also learned so many new skills. I must be extremely strict with deadlines (which reminds me of my time in operational payroll some years ago now), and I also need to liaise with so many different people, all of whom have great experience and knowledge in a wealth of areas, which are often well beyond the realms of my own understanding. This has meant upskilling myself in some of the topics which sit on the periphery of payroll, to ensure we’re covering everything our members need to know within the pages of the magazine. Additionally, I’ve had great fun in learning all about different style techniques, discovering what looks good in the magazine and what doesn’t look so good. And, I have to say, one of the highlights of putting the magazine together is deciding on that all-important cover. What do you find most rewarding about being editor for the CIPP? The people I get to work with. I’m always so proud of the number of people who
7
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 110 | May 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker