MY CIPP
Spotlight on...
Samantha O’Sullivan MCIPPdip Policy lead
How did you start your payroll career? Was it choice, or did you fall into the role like many payroll professionals do? My career in payroll happened completely by chance, so I fell. After leaving school, I realised the traditional educational path of college and university wasn’t for me. I interviewed for a human resources assistant role, and the day before I started, the recruitment agency rang me to offer me a ‘trainee payroll specialist’ position instead. The 17-year-old me could only focus on the fact the annual salary was higher than the role I originally applied for, so of course I said yes, and the rest is history. That role opened my eyes to the world of payroll, and it was that position which made me appreciate that people go to work to get paid. After all, I only accepted that role because I could get more money; at that point I knew this was a career for life. How did you move into policy? I have worked in several different roles within the industry, from operational payroll to working in an advisory capacity. I was made aware of the vacancy for policy lead at the CIPP and having been a member of the Institute for more than ten years, I jumped at the opportunity to give something back to our members, and the wider payroll, reward and pension professions. After an initial conversation with Vickie Graham, business development director, I bit the bullet and applied. I got the job and haven’t looked back since. Did you study a specific course to help you to enter this career? I did, and I’m very proud to say I studied the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management with the CIPP. I graduated in 2015 and celebrated with
my family and peers from my three-year course. It was undertaking this qualification that inspired me to make the move from operational payroll into a more strategic role, like the one I’m in today. That really is the beauty of working within payroll; the career path opportunities are endless. From apprenticeships to management roles, software development to policy lead, you can really home in on what makes you tick and pursue a career which incorporates your passion. Tell us about a typical week as a policy team member. Being policy lead must be the most varied role of my career. A typical week could entail: l attending government forums, to share member feedback and provide advice on how policies should look moving forward l writing articles for the CIPP and other external publications l developing presentations for internal and external events l delivering presentations or taking part in roundtable discussions l maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, for example, the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, the Treasury and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. No two days are the same in my role, which is a recurring theme when working within the payroll industry, and one of the things I love most about it. What’s the most interesting fact you’ve ever heard about payroll? That we push a big red button once a month… or maybe that all payroll professionals have crystals balls sat on their desks… Jokes aside, this is a tricky one. At our last
Annual Conference and Exhibition, I attended a workshop, and the presenter explained they were asked to speak at their child’s school careers day. Their child was in primary school at the time, so to make payroll relative to eight-year-olds, she asked them, “Who likes playing video games? Well, I ensure your parents get paid from work, so they can buy you video games,” and this has stuck with me ever since. This may not be an interesting fact per se, but it does highlight that payroll professionals enable people, families, you, to enjoy the special and meaningful things in life. Whether that be a drive-through coffee, a sandwich on the run or a trip to the cinema. Payroll professionals ensure that every worker is paid accurately and on time, so they can pay their bills, and enjoy the things that matter the most. What’s been your biggest achievement since joining the policy team at the CIPP? My biggest achievement is seeing my team grow and flourish. It may sound cheesy, but my team are fantastic and it’s a privilege to see people you care about go from strength to strength, whether that be in the presentations they deliver, the articles they produce or the wonderful page-turning content you read in this very magazine. n No two days are the same in my role, which is a recurring theme when working within the payroll industry, and one of the things I love most about it
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | February 2023 | Issue 87 8
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