This course is the first core course of the Payroll Leadership Professional (PLP) designation program.
Please note: Although not mandatory, it is recommended that students complete the required transfer credit Organizational Behaviour before starting the core courses.
This foundational course will equip aspiring payroll leaders with the essential skills to manage and optimize payroll operations while beginning the transition from technical expert to strategic leader. Students will develop a strong command of payroll delivery, compliance, systems, budgeting, and team development. The course emphasizes operational excellence and introduces leadership principles that prepare learners to guide teams and influence organizational outcomes. Continuous improvement frameworks are introduced here and will be expanded in the
Payroll as a Strategic Partner, and the Empowered Payroll Leadership courses.
Prerequisites: PCP Designation and Payroll Experience Prerequisite Approval from the National Payroll Institute.
PCP designated members who wish to enrol in the PLP courses must have their Payroll Experience Prerequisite Application (PEPA) approved by the Institute prior to enrolling in this course. For more information, see PLP - Payroll Experience Prerequisite.
Students enrolled at a post-secondary institution must first register with the school and pay the tuition fees. Students must also register with the National Payroll Institute and pay the Institute’s course fee, and membership fee, if applicable.
Upon completion of Foundations of Payroll Leadership (FPL), students should be able to:
- Demonstrate how payroll contributes to organizational success, supports cross-departmental collaboration, and aligns with business strategy.
- Develop, document, and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistency, efficiency, and compliance in payroll processes.
- Analyze legislative changes, conduct compliance evaluations, and apply risk management frameworks to safeguard payroll operations.
- Uphold ethical standards, protect sensitive employee data, and design controls to detect and prevent payroll fraud.
- Establish key payroll metrics, apply quality management approaches (e.g., Deming Cycle), and lead benchmarking initiatives to drive ongoing improvement.
- Compare internal and external payroll systems, negotiate and manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and optimize payroll performance through audits and metrics.
- Identify payroll department costs, create and manage operating budgets, apply forecasting techniques, and ensure resource optimization.
- Apply leadership styles, delegate effectively, and design professional development plans to build high-performing payroll teams.
- Implement inclusive payroll practices, ensure compliance for diverse worker types, and communicate effectively across a multicultural workforce.
- Partner with HR and other departments to align payroll operations with organizational goals, workforce planning, and employee development.
Online Courses: Online directly through the National Payroll Institute (excluding challenge)
The National Payroll Institute offers online courses, which are primarily self-directed, meaning that, for the most part, there are no scheduled class times or lectures. Students work through the material at their own pace; however, students must complete assignments, discussion questions, and exams by the dates outlined at the start of the course. Students are assigned to an instructor and can email course-related questions to them at any time during the course.
In addition, there are instructor-student live “Check-in” sessions, scheduled at various intervals throughout the course. These live sessions are opportunities for students to meet virtually with their instructor, to ask any questions they might have about the content, and to understand more about the exam experience, including a review of the exams proctoring requirements. The sessions will be recorded for students who cannot attend
The assignments, discussion activities, and exams have pre-determined due dates. All of the coursework is completed online through the Institute’s Learning Management System, Brightspace.
The online final exam is remotely proctored through Integrity Advocate. The remote proctoring fee is included in the online course fee.
Live Courses: Post-Secondary Classroom and Virtual Classroom
Live, in-class and virtual courses, completed through a post-secondary institution, are directed by the post-secondary institution’s instructor. Students will attend and participate in classes and lectures at the same time as their peers.
The online final exam is remotely proctored through Integrity Advocate. The remote proctoring fee is included in the classroom course fee.
Both an overall grade of 65% and a mark of at least 65% on the final exam are required to pass the course. An online grade report will be available four weeks after the official end date of the course. For confidentiality reasons, marks cannot be given by phone, fax, or email.
Withdrawal Policy
Students who withdraw within the first three weeks of the term will receive a full refund from the National Payroll Institute, less a withdrawal fee of $100.00, plus applicable taxes.
PLP Designation Completion Timeline
Students must complete all of the PLP courses, including the transfer of credit courses, within 5 years from the start of their first successful FPL course.
Maximum Course Attempts
Students are permitted a maximum of three attempts at any individual PLP course. If a student fails a given PLP course three times (through the classroom, or online study option), they will no longer be permitted to register for the course.