Jason Davenport’s ascent to the pinnacle of the payroll profession at the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) began humbly as an officer junior in the construction industry.
“I had accounts and HR in front of me, but doing tax and insurance computations, I really enjoyed that.” Davenport’s ambition soon took him beyond and his foresight coincided with the nascent trend of outsourcing. He seized the opportunity to join an Anglo-Dutch corporation, CMG, where he played a pivotal role in establishing a shared service centre in Salford Quays.
His work with CMG, particularly his leadership in expanding payroll services across Europe for clients like Coca-Cola, gave him a taste for international work. This experience led Jason to join NGA, a company with a global vision. “They were buying up other businesses strategically to pull together a global offering,” Davenport explains. His role included developing shared service centres across India, the Philippines, and supporting operations in the US and European capitals.
However, the pull of family led him to refocus his career back in the UK, where he became CEO of Capita’s HR division. After a stint in corporate leadership, Davenport’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish his own consultancy business. His connection to the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals remained strong throughout, serving on the board and promoting payroll as a career. When the opportunity arose to lead CIPP as CEO in 2023, Davenport was ready. “It’s a combination of all the work I’ve done within payroll,” he reflects.
Navigating Payroll Complexities
Davenport is acutely aware of the challenges faced by payroll professionals, particularly in compliance and risk management. “Tax and legislation that might affect National Insurance could also impact things like salary sacrifice schemes and different benefits. It’s important to ensure all of that is properly dealt with within the systems they’re using,” he states.
He also highlights the UK’s pioneering role in real-time information (RTI) systems, which have revolutionised the way payroll is managed. “We’re world-leading in that,” Davenport notes, adding that other countries are now seeking the UK’s expertise in this area.
Looking to the future, Davenport is excited about the potential of AI to further support payroll professionals. He acknowledges the apprehension some may feel towards automation but reassures that human expertise remains crucial. “You still need the human touch to ensure accuracy” he says, underscoring the continued need for professional judgement.
Educational Endeavours: Shaping the Future of Payroll
At the heart of CIPP’s mission lies a commitment to education, a vision that Jason champions with fervour. “We have a foundation degree, and we’ve got university partners that we work with in order to deliver that,” Davenport explains. The pivot to online delivery, necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has not only sustained but expanded the institute’s educational reach. “There’s a lot more online delivery now than before,” he notes.
CIPP’s influence extends beyond the UK, reaching global learners in shared service centres from India to the Philippines. These international students seek the institute’s expertise in UK legislation and training, and CIPP delivers. The institute’s qualifications are highly regarded within the industry, with employers often insisting on Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) accreditation for their payroll teams.
With as many as 500 students a year going through the foundation degree process, CIPP is nurturing the next generation of payroll professionals. But the journey doesn’t end there. Davenport encourages graduates to consider their long-term career pathways and further education opportunities. “We’ve got the Masters and the BA,” he says, citing recent graduates from the University of Lincoln who have leveraged their honours degrees to advance to more senior positions.
CIPP’s educational efforts also extend beyond Payroll. In light of the escalating cost of living, Davenport champions initiatives aimed at bolstering financial acumen amongst the younger generation. “We’re developing bite-size, consumable pieces that can be shared with schools and school leavers,” he elucidates, outlining a collaboration with the Heart of Worcester College to explain the intricacies of pay slips and taxation.
Charting a New Course
In the concluding remarks, Jason contemplates a legacy that surpasses the conventional scope of payroll management. With fervour, he asserts, “My real aspiration, since taking up the position, is to broaden our membership.” He recognises the untapped potential within the UK’s payroll sector, which provides livelihoods to over 100,000 individuals. “We’re only touching less than 8% of those,” he rues, with ambitions to expand CIPP’s influence and support to a broader demographic.
Davenport’s legacy is dual-pronged: he seeks to both swell the ranks of membership, thereby empowering a greater number of professionals, and to elevate the profile of payroll as a credible career path. “I’ve had a fantastic career that took me across the world,” he reminisces, aspiring to motivate those on the cusp of their careers to contemplate payroll as a future pursuit.
He recalls with pride a commendation from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which recognised the pivotal contribution of payroll professionals to the UK’s fiscal framework. “In the 2022/23 tax year, for example, £378 billion in taxes was collected through payroll,” he highlights, drawing attention to the significance of their endeavours.
For Jason, the essence of his work transcends mere figures; it is about the personal growth and trajectories of individuals. “From a career trajectory, I was able to manage my career,” he divulges, reflecting on his own professional journey and the decisions that shaped it.
As he looks to the future, Davenport’s aspiration for his legacy remains unambiguous: to equip individuals with the requisite knowledge and competencies to confidently steer their financial destinies, thus enhancing their personal well-being and contributing to the prosperity of the wider UK economy.
