Payroll Manager Resume Guide
Payroll Managers are responsible for ensuring that all employees of an organization receive accurate and timely payments. They manage the payroll process, including verifying timesheets, calculating wages, withholding taxes and deductions from employee paychecks, generating reports related to payroll activities, and preparing payments for disbursement. Additionally, they oversee any changes in personnel or salary information as well as compliance with relevant laws regarding wages and taxation.
Your knack for payroll management is unparalleled. But potential employers are yet to discover your skills and experience. To make sure they see you as the ideal candidate, write a resume that stands out from other applicants.
This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.
Table of Contents
The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.
Payroll Manager Resume Sample
Fletcher Bergnaum
Payroll Manager
[email protected]
947-163-7384
linkedin.com/in/fletcher-bergnaum
Summary
Reliable payroll manager with 5+ years of experience in managing employee compensation and benefits. Experienced in streamlining processes to increase efficiency while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and data security. At XYZ Corporation, managed the payroll for 500 employees across 13 states. Successfully launched a new payroll system which reduced errors by 25%. Highly organized professional who is always looking for ways to improve the process and provide exceptional customer service.
Experience
Payroll Manager, Employer A
San Jose, Jan 2018 – Present
- Meticulously managed the payroll for 500+ employees, ensuring accurate taxation calculations and timely distribution of paychecks.
- Improved upon payroll processing efficiency by 50%, reducing average turnaround time from 2 days to just 1 day per month.
- Reduced discrepancies in employee compensation records by 75% through meticulous data entry and verification of accuracy prior to submitting payments.
- Coordinated with Human Resources personnel on a weekly basis regarding new hires, terminations and changes in employee information; processed all relevant documents within 24 hours each week without fail or error.
- Advised over 200 staff members on their remuneration related queries every quarter, providing comprehensive solutions based on company policies & regulations for successful resolution of issues encountered.
Payroll Manager, Employer B
Worcester, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017
- Developed and implemented payroll procedures for a staff of 200+ employees, ensuring accurate processing of bi-weekly payments in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
- Represented the company at wage dispute hearings, successfully negotiating resolutions that saved $5,000 in legal fees over one year period.
- Reorganized existing payroll processes to improve accuracy by 10% while reducing costs associated with late payment penalties by 15%.
- Actively monitored labor law changes affecting wages and benefits; provided regular updates to Human Resources team on any new requirements or guidelines related to employee paychecks & withholdings.
- Achieved 100% accuracy rate for all monthly financial audits conducted regarding employee compensation records and practices.
Skills
- Payroll
- Human Resources
- Employee Relations
- Employee Benefits
- ADP Payroll
- Accounting
- HRIS
- Benefits Administration
- Recruiting
Education
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
Certifications
Certified Payroll Professional
American Payroll Association
May 2017
1. Summary / Objective
Your resume summary/objective is like a movie trailer – it provides the employer with essential bits of information and, if written correctly, should compel them to read on. This is where you can showcase your best qualities as a payroll manager; for example, you could mention how many years’ experience in payroll management you have, the software programs and systems that are familiar to you (e.g., QuickBooks), and any recent certifications or awards related to payroll management that demonstrate your expertise.
Below are some resume summary examples:
Energetic and organized payroll manager with 10+ years of experience managing large-scale payroll operations. Experienced in developing, implementing and administering a variety of compensation policies including salary increases, bonuses and incentive plans. Expert in global compliance regulations for various countries across Europe and Asia Pacific regions as well as US labor laws. Adept at streamlining processes to improve accuracy while reducing costs.
Passionate payroll manager with 5+ years of experience in payroll and accounting. Experienced in developing and implementing automated systems to streamline processes, reduce errors, and improve accuracy across multiple locations. At XYZ, managed a team of 8 staff members responsible for the processing of payrolls for over 1,500 employees nationwide. Received “Employee Excellence” award for outstanding accomplishments during my tenure at ABC Company.
Seasoned payroll manager with 7+ years of experience in the finance and accounting industry. At XYZ, successfully managed over 200 employees’ payrolls across multiple states. Implemented innovative strategies to reduce processing costs by 20%, improved accuracy rates from 85% to 99%, and streamlined processes for higher efficiency. Skilled in managing a wide range of payroll systems, including ADP Workforce Now and Paychex Flexible Solutions.
Talented payroll manager with 10+ years of experience in all areas of payroll and human resources. Experienced in supporting multiple locations and rolling out new processes, policies, systems, and technologies to streamline operations. Successfully implemented an automated workflow for the processing of employee timesheets that lowered costs by 20%. Seeking a position at ABC where I can use my skills to drive further process improvements.
Amicable and organized payroll manager with 8+ years of experience managing and processing payrolls for over 200 employees. Skilled in analyzing financial data, resolving accounting discrepancies, streamlining processes to maximize efficiency, and providing the highest quality customer service. Proven track record of ensuring timely payment distribution while adhering to applicable compliance regulations at ABC Corporation.
Committed payroll manager with 8+ years of experience in payroll processing and budgeting. Highly proficient in the use of HRIS systems to manage data, track employee information, maintain records accuracy, and troubleshoot complex technical issues. Implemented cost-saving initiatives that reduced errors by 40% while increasing efficiency by 15%. Seeking to join ABC as part of a dynamic payroll team.
Driven and detail-oriented payroll manager with 8+ years of experience in end-to-end management and processing. Proven track record of successfully overseeing staff, ensuring accurate payments are made on time, and maintaining compliance with applicable laws. Seeking to bring expertise to ABC Corp’s payroll team and ensure the efficient payment of employees across multiple locations.
Dependable payroll manager with 8+ years of experience in full-cycle processing and managing corporate, state, local, and international payrolls. Experienced in designing effective systems to streamline processes while ensuring compliance with regulations. Seeking an opportunity at ABC Co where I can use my expertise to support the organization’s human resources initiatives.
2. Experience / Employment
In the experience section, you will detail your work history. This should be written in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent job is listed first.
When writing this section, stick to bullet points primarily; doing so makes it easier for the reader to take in what you have to say quickly and efficiently. When detailing what you did at each job role, make sure that you provide quantifiable results where possible – such as how much money was saved or how many people were managed successfully.
For example instead of saying “Managed payroll process,” you could say: “Successfully implemented a new payroll system which improved accuracy by 20% and reduced processing time by 30%, resulting in an annual cost saving of $50k.”
To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:
Other general verbs you can use are:
- Achieved
- Advised
- Assessed
- Compiled
- Coordinated
- Demonstrated
- Developed
- Expedited
- Facilitated
- Formulated
- Improved
- Introduced
- Mentored
- Optimized
- Participated
- Prepared
- Presented
- Reduced
- Reorganized
- Represented
- Revised
- Spearheaded
- Streamlined
- Structured
- Utilized
Below are some example bullet points:
- Utilized payroll software and online systems to process the payroll of 1,200+ employees accurately and on time in accordance with state regulations; reduced payroll processing errors by 40%.
- Streamlined existing processes for tracking overtime hours, vacation days & bonuses; saved over $4,000 per month in labor expenses.
- Revised employee benefits packages to help reduce costs while maintaining a generous yet competitive offering; maintained a high level of engagement among staff members through annual surveys and focus groups.
- Formulated internal policies governing salary advances, deductions from paychecks & tax withholdings as required by law; developed an easy-to-follow guidebook detailing company procedures that was distributed across all departments.
- Resourcefully resolved discrepancies between reported salaries/wages against actual payments made within 24 hours each time they arose; improved accuracy rate to 98% or higher for 10 consecutive quarters since taking up this role.
- Demonstrated expertise in payroll processing by accurately preparing and remitting bi-weekly payroll for a staff of 250+, ensuring compliance with all tax regulations.
- Mentored 3 junior staff members on the intricacies of running an accurate and efficient payroll system; team achieved 4% reduction in errors rate within 6 months.
- Prepared quarterly reports detailing employee compensation, deductions, bonuses and benefits including 401(k) plans; saved company $7000/year in over payments to vendors due to timely delivery of these documents.
- Spearheaded the development & implementation of a new automated timekeeping system which resulted in significant cost savings thanks to improved accuracy & decreased manual data entry needs up 40%.
- Efficiently handled complex calculations such as retroactive pay adjustments, overtime wages & holiday payouts without any discrepancies or delays; increased customer satisfaction scores by 10%.
- Facilitated the accurate and timely processing of payroll for over 500 employees, ensuring all government regulations were met while reducing errors by 22%.
- Optimized the organization’s payroll system to reduce cost per employee by 8%, resulting in a total annual savings of $50,000.
- Expedited payment cycles from bi-monthly to weekly; increased employee satisfaction with improved cash flow management and financial planning capabilities.
- Introduced an automated paycheck calculator which allowed employees to accurately estimate their net pay prior to receiving it; reduced customer service requests related to paychecks by 40%.
- Proficiently managed salary increases & deductions such as 401k contributions, health insurance premiums and other benefits payments without incurring any operational costs or delays in payment disbursement processes.
- Assessed payroll records of 400+ employees, identified and corrected discrepancies in salary payments, benefits deductions and overtime hours; reduced processing errors by 22%.
- Participated actively in all payroll process improvement initiatives, resulting in a 20% increase in automation efficiencies across the department.
- Consistently met tight deadlines when processing weekly, bi-weekly and monthly payrolls for multiple locations; achieved an average accuracy rate of 98%.
- Presented comprehensive reports to senior management on payroll costs & trends related to employee compensation structure & bonuses; saved $5K per quarter due to these insights.
- Structured efficient processes for handling pay adjustments/wage garnishments while ensuring compliance with government regulations at all times; minimized audit risks by 15%.
3. Skills
Skill requirements will differ from employer to employer – this can easily be determined via the job advert. Organization ABC may require the candidate to be proficient in payroll systems such as ADP and Organization XYZ might need experience with QuickBooks.
Tailoring your resume skills section to each job you are applying for is essential because of the applicant tracking systems used by many companies; these programs scan resumes for certain keywords before passing them on to a human.
In addition, it’s important that you elaborate on your most relevant skills/qualifications in other parts of your resume too (e.g., summary or experience).
Below is a list of common skills & terms:
- ADP Payroll
- Account Management
- Account Reconciliation
- Accounting
- Accounts Payable
- Accounts Receivable
- Applicant Tracking Systems
- Auditing
- Benefits Administration
- Business Process Improvement
- Change Management
- Coaching
- Deferred Compensation
- Employee Benefits
- Employee Engagement
- Employee Relations
- FMLA
- Financial Reporting
- Garnishments
- General Ledger
- HR Policies
- HRIS
- Human Resources
- Interviews
- Invoicing
- Kronos
- New Hire Orientations
- Onboarding
- Payroll
- Payroll Processing
- Payroll Taxes
- PeopleSoft
- Performance Management
- Personnel Management
- Process Improvement
- QuickBooks
- Recruiting
- Talent Acquisition
- Talent Management
- Team Leadership
- Time Management
4. Education
Mentioning an education section on your resume will depend on how far along you are in your career. If you recently graduated and don’t have much work experience, include the education section below your resume objective. However, if you have been working as a payroll manager for years with plenty of responsibilities to showcase, omitting the education section is perfectly acceptable.
If an education section is included, try to mention courses and subjects related to the payroll manager role that demonstrate knowledge of financial management principles or accounting concepts.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
5. Certifications
Certifications are an important part of any resume as they demonstrate to a potential employer that you have the necessary skills and knowledge for the job. They also show that you have taken initiative in furthering your professional development by taking courses or exams related to your field.
Including certifications on your resume can help give hiring managers confidence in your abilities, so make sure to include all relevant ones when applying for jobs.
Certified Payroll Professional
American Payroll Association
May 2017
6. Contact Info
Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.
You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.
Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Fletcher Bergnaum, this would be Fletcher-Bergnaum-resume.pdf or Fletcher-Bergnaum-resume.docx.
7. Cover Letter
Including a cover letter with your job application is highly recommended, as it gives you the chance to express yourself in a more meaningful way. It should be made up of 2 to 4 paragraphs and provide insight into who you are as an individual and why you’re the best fit for the role.
Cover letters can also give recruiters more context about your experiences, skills and qualifications that may not have been included on your resume. This helps them make an informed decision when considering applicants for the position.
Below is an example cover letter:
Dear Carter,
I am writing to apply for the position of Payroll Manager at XYZ Company. I have eight years of experience working in payroll and human resources, and I am confident that I can be an asset to your team.
In my previous role as Payroll Specialist at ABC Company, I processed payroll for 1,200 employees on a bi-weekly basis. I was responsible for ensuring that all deductions were accurate and that all employees received their correct paychecks on time. In addition to processing payroll, I also handled employee benefit inquiries and resolved any issues that arose.
I have a strong attention to detail and a dedication to accuracy, which has allowed me to consistently produce error-free work. My excellent communication skills have also been beneficial in resolving conflicts and addressing concerns from employees. In addition, I am proficient in using various payroll software programs, including ADP Workforce Now and Ultimate Software UltiPro.
I believe that my skills and experience make me the perfect candidate for the Payroll Manager position at XYZ Company. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your organization’s success further during an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration; please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information about my qualifications.
Sincerely,
Fletcher