Job profile
Payroll accountant (m/f/d)

Payroll accountants: number crunchers with interesting tasks

Payroll accountants (m/f/d), also known as wages clerks, have a job involving a high level of responsibility: they prepare the monthly payroll accounting, which is the basis for wage and salary payments of a company or organisation. Payroll accountants are always the first point of contact for employees in case of questions related to taxes and social insurance.

What does the job of a payroll accountant entail? Tasks and responsibilities

Depending on the size and organisational structure of the company, payroll accountants have various tasks. First and foremost, they organise and control the payroll accounting. They maintain personnel databases and issue certificates for employees. They are also responsible for reporting to health insurance companies, authorities and tax offices. Last but not least, payroll accountants advise employees on matters regarding income tax, social insurance and payroll accounting. The job profile of a payroll accountants (m/f/d) also includes the following tasks:

● maintaining payroll accounts and master data,

● recording and checking working hours,

● preparing travel expense reports,

● initiating payments to employees,

● controlling tasks,

● involved in the preparation of business reports.

Payroll accountant

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Looking for a job as payroll accountant?

Are you looking for a challenging job with a lot of responsibility and variety? Do you have strong communication skills, but are also discreet and trustworthy? Then a job in payroll accounting is just right for you. Browse our job board to find payroll accountant jobs or contact us directly.

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Looking for a suitable payroll accountant?

Are you looking for a professional who will be popular with your staff and whom you can trust? In our candidate pool, you will find qualified payroll accountants who will support your company.

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Are you looking for an exciting project as a payroll accountant?

You have proven yourself as a payroll accountant and are now looking for a new challenge? A challenging role in which you can expand your extensive knowledge? Then we should get to know each other. Together, we will find an exciting project for you.

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How to become a payroll accountant?

Successful payroll accountants ideally have degrees in economic subjects such as business administration, controlling and accounting. Alternatively, a vocational qualification can also pave the way to payroll accounting – however, there is no specific vocational training.

It is important that you have sufficient previous experience in payroll accounting. If you don't have this experience, you can catch up on your knowledge by completing a further training as payroll accountant (m/f/d). For example, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry offers such a further training – both extra-occupational or via distance learning.

Which hard skills and soft skills should a payroll accountant have?

Payroll accountants should have the necessary expertise, ideally obtained during a commercial or further training. They should have an affinity for numbers and good analytical skills. Besides, a friendly appearance and strong communication skills make them good advisers for employees. In larger companies, English skills are required.
Finally, companies expect discretion and trustworthiness from their payroll accountants, as they need to deal with sensitive personal data subject to data protection regulations. Further job requirements:

● IT skills (Excel, DATEV, SAP, Lexware),

● knowledge of current income tax law,

● willingness to engage in further education,

● an accurate way of working and

● ability to work in a team.

Payroll accountant: Salary and opportunities on the labour market

After a completed apprenticeship as payroll accountant (m/f/d) you can expect a starting salary of approximately EUR 25,000 gross per year. With a university degree the average starting salary is approximately EUR 35,000. The salary of a payroll accountant is highly dependent on the level of knowledge and further training. With increasing experience and relevant further training the average salary rises up to EUR 43,000. With above-average qualifications, e.g. in controlling, you can expect an average salary of EUR 55,000 gross per year.

Payroll accountants are highly sought-after. Even small companies have their own department or working group that deals with payroll accounting and the preparation of pay slips. Thus, they can be found in all industries. As the tax and accounting processes are subject to constant change, payroll accountants who keep their knowledge up-to-date through further trainings have particularly good chances. Moreover, the location plays a significant role – in economically strong cities with a high density of company, such as Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg, payroll accountants have good prospects as well.

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Dream job or dream employee as payroll accountant – at Hays you will find both

Due to the shortage of skilled workers and other factors, personnel recruitment will change in the future. Tomorrow’s recruiters will use data-driven approaches to find suitable candidates and personally approach potential talents. With our "Find & Engage" concept, we combine conventional recruiting approaches with modern methods to find the best match between companies and candidates.

Are you looking for a new challenge? With Hays you will find a job as a payroll accountant that matches your requirements. We will place you with renowned companies and consult you personally. Together, we find your dream job.

Are you looking for the perfect specialist for your company? We find suitable candidates thanks to our search and data analyses. If the candidate has the required professional qualification, we bring both parties together.