Find an apprenticeship
Payroll Apprentice
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Payroll Apprentice
The Payroll Apprentice role provides administration support to a busy payroll team of nine, operating in a fast paced environment. The role covers first line support for colleague queries, general payroll administration and a range of routine payroll processing tasks, while the postholder works towards the Payroll qualification.
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
The duties below are grouped under four headings that reflect the main areas of the payroll team. This list is not exhaustive and may be adjusted as the role and the wider function develop.
Query handling and first line support
- Provide first line support for colleague queries raised through the ticketing system and by telephone.
- Assign incoming tickets to the relevant member of the payroll team.
- Deal with incoming correspondence and pass it to the relevant member of the payroll team.
- Support colleagues with queries about self-service access to their user account.
Payroll processing support
- Support the processing and administering of Attachment of Earnings and other statutory deductions.
- Support with pay rate changes.
- Assist with collating and processing leavers.
- Assist with queries about employee holiday balances.
- Handle requests for copies of payslips, and P45 and P60 queries.
Records and reporting
- Update personal records as requested.
- Assist with ad hoc reporting and project work as required.
- Provide general administration support to the payroll team.
Learning and development
- Attend all training days and complete coursework and assessments on time.
- Apply learning from the course to day to day work in the payroll team.
- Meet regularly with the line manager and training provider to review progress.
Shared responsibilities
These apply to every role.
- Work safely at all times, follow health and safety procedures, and report hazards, near misses and incidents promptly.
- Report any concern about the welfare or safety of a colleague immediately, in line with company procedure.
- Embed equality, diversity and inclusion in everything the role touches, and challenge discrimination, bullying and harassment wherever it is encountered.
- Keep accurate, complete and timely records, and meet audit, confidentiality and data protection requirements.
- Treat information about colleagues, clients and suppliers as confidential and handle it lawfully.
- Take part in training and development, and keep skills and knowledge current.
- Act as a professional ambassador for WGC Ltd and the wider group, and follow company policies and procedures at all times.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Where you'll work
7 Academy Buildings
Fanshaw Street
London
N1 6LQ
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
EMA TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Payroll administrator (level 3)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- gather, analyse and process payroll data and information
- resolve different types of queries that may be presented from payroll customers such as employees, clients, management, explaining and documenting responses
- deal with complaints, following processes and escalating complex situations
- meet client or customer needs in line with service level agreements
- provide customer service using agreed systems and processes, taking ownership for work applying agreed processes for checking
- adhere to deadlines and process schedules both internal and statutory, mitigating the impact on the business, employees and clients of deadlines not being met by reprioritising tasks when dealing with conflicting or changing demands
- select appropriate media for communication etc recognising the advantages and risks related to each method
- escalate concerns relating to deadlines in a timely manner, suggesting solutions
- use the appropriate communication media for each stakeholder for each situation. Examples may include ‘phone, face-to-face, email and letters, communicating and engaging professionally, accurately and appropriately, respecting the principles of data protection and confidentiality
- Build and maintain trust and sound relationships with stakeholders to deliver quality payroll services
- develop and maintain strong working relationships with team colleagues, supporting and collaborating to achieve results, seeking advice when appropriate within parameters of the role
- use computerised payroll software and spreadsheet packages such as MS Excel
- use systems and processes to support the payroll function. Examples may include the provision of accounting information and the Real Time Information submissions to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Training schedule
The Payroll Administrator standard is delivered in two elements; the CIPP (Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals) knowledge units and work based projects designed by the provider, to meet employer needs.
The knowledge units provided will cover topics such as:
- National Insurance
- PAYE
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- Statutory Parental Leave
- Statutory Deductions
The last four months of the qualification will entail completing the following as part of the End Point Assessment:
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
- Knowledge Test
- Project Report
- Professional Discussion
The qualification will be delivered over 12 months (8 months for training and 4 months for EPA). The training sessions will take place online bi-weekly with your allocated trainer. In between training sessions you will be assigned a workplace task to support in implementing your knowledge.
Essential qualifications
- GCSE in:
- 5 GCSE's including Maths and English (grade C/4 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
Other requirements
Mainly working from home. The ideal candidate will be based in or around the Midland, where the majority of the payroll team sits. Regular face-to-face meetings with line management will be required. Occasional travel may also be required.
WGC Ltd is a facilities management company established in 1974. WGC operates at over 400 client locations across England, Scotland and Wales and employs nearly 6,000 colleagues. The largest division provides hotel housekeeping and other services to 260 hotels.
The Payroll Apprentice role provides administration support to a busy payroll team of nine, operating in a fast paced environment. The role covers first line support for colleague queries, general payroll administration and a range of routine payroll processing tasks, while the postholder works towards the Payroll Administrator Level 3 qualification as part of their apprenticeship.
No previous experience in payroll is required. Training is provided on the job and alongside the apprenticeship, so that practical skills and formal qualifications are built together. Responsibility increases over time as skills and experience develop, and the role provides a structured first step into a career in payroll.
https://www.wgcacademy.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Opportunity to progress into a full time role with the company following successful completion of the apprenticeship programme.
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
EMA TRAINING LIMITED
Jess Mitchell
Apply@ematraining.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000050763.
Closes in 18 days (Friday 18 September 2026 at 11:59pm)
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills