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Building a career in payroll: skills, roles and development opportunities

16 June 2025
Joni Henrard Communication Manager Connect on Linkedin

Anyone who thinks of payroll imagines paychecks, figures and calculations. But payroll is so much more than that. Behind every paycheck is an expert who is not only technically savvy, but also works with people, swiftly shifts gears, gives advice and effortlessly manages confidential information. In fact, within payroll you can distinguish several types of profiles based on knowledge level and responsibilities.

But which payroll profile are you? What skills will ensure that you, as a payroll professional, are ready for the future? And how can you continue to grow within your role?

The many faces of payroll

Payroll profiles can be distinguished based on knowledge level and responsibilities. Not all payroll functions occur within the same organization. Which specific job profiles a company needs often depends on the size of the company, the complexity of of the profiles on the payroll, the software used and the dependence with respect to the social secretariat.

Payroll profiles

Payroll Administrator

A Payroll Administrator is a supportive administrative professional who is responsible for the day-to-day performance of pre-payroll tasks and diligently records and processes the proper input of absences, social documents and payroll components, as an essential basis for accurate and efficient payroll processing.

Payroll Officer

A Payroll Officer is responsible for managing the day-to-day operational aspects of payroll administration. It is a professional with considerable experience and expertise, who can ensure employees are paid their monthly salaries.

Payroll Specialist

A Payroll Specialist is an experienced specialist who is responsible for the correct and legally compliant execution of the complete payroll processing, including complex calculations, checks and advice on social and fiscal regulations and acts as an expert and point of contact within the payroll process.

Payroll Consultant

A Payroll Consultant is an expert who can step in temporarily and add value immediately. They are used to settling in quickly and can take over tasks from various profiles simultaneously. A Payroll Consultant provides a flexible solution that brings stability, knowledge and continuity to your company’s payroll operation.

Future-proof skills for every payroll professional

As a payroll professional analytical ability is truly indispensable. You come into daily contact with complex information: wage components, employee-dependent data, changing legislation, (combined) suspensions,... It is important that you can approach data systematically and logically. “By dividing information into smaller parts, recognizing patterns and finding correlations, you can draw well-founded conclusions. That makes it easier to solve problems and make thoughtful decisions,” says Maaike Malfliet (Project Consultant, TriHD).

In addition to analytical ability, a payroll professional must also possess a wide range of general skills. Just think about knowledge of social legislation, payroll packages & software, attention to detail, problem solving ability and time management. “Payroll professionals are strong on administration and are also sometimes seen as the odd man out in the HR landscape. They tend to be more introverted and, compared to other HR professionals, are driven by facts rather than people,” adds Maaike.

Strong communication skills are equally important. You have to be able to give a clear answer to every question, and that human aspect makes a job in payroll extra exciting.

Maaike Malfliet

Yet strong communication skills are just as important. As a payroll professional, you must be able to convey complex information in a simple, clear way to employees who have no background in payroll or legislation. “Questions about payslips, vacation pay or fringe benefits, you name it – you have to be able to give a clear answer to every question. That human aspect makes a job in payroll extra fascinating. It is precisely that combination of analytical thinking and social interaction that makes payroll so versatile and valuable,” explains Maaike.

An expert with customized solutions

A gap in specific knowledge, hands short in your team or simply need the right expertise? A Payroll Consultant can bring strong added value to your team. From payroll processing and checking to advice on social legislation or process optimization. They think along tailored to your organization, bring fresh insights or more efficient ways of working and focus on more complex, specialized challenges. “In general, a Payroll Consultant is often responsible for accurately processing salaries, advising on payroll-related challenges and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. Compared to a role at a social secretariat, where standard payroll and HR services are offered to multiple companies, a Payroll Consultant really focuses on the more complex challenges,” it sounds. “That also allows us to take a more in-depth and consultative role that really focuses on the client’s or company’s question. As a Payroll Consultant, we answer an employee’s question within the context of the company, with knowledge of the organization and taking into account the labor regulations and the employment contract. That’s where we as consultants can really make a difference,” explains Maaike.

As a Payroll Consultant, you think along with the organization, bring fresh insights and focus on the more complex, specialized challenges. So we really fulfill an in-depth and consultative role that focuses on the client’s or company’s questions.

Maaike Malfliet

“As a Payroll Consultant at TriHD, you learn all the necessary skills in a short time and discover the entire payroll landscape at your own pace. Our consultants can take that valuable knowledge into their career path and use it during projects at all kinds of clients and in different sectors,” adds Céline Woltman (Business Manager, TriHD).

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Looking to grow your career at a company that puts people first? Find out more on our career website: grow your ambition with TriHD. 

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