Payroll Accountant

SAUDI ARABIAN RESOURCES COMPANY; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Saudi Gold Refinery is seeking a Payroll Accountant in Riyadh to manage accurate monthly payroll processing for plant and corporate staff. You will ensure compliance with Saudi labor laws, GOSI, and WPS while handling complex compensation elements and government portal submissions.

You will oversee payroll execution, statutory filings, reconciliations, and data integrity within HRIS, supporting audits and resolving employee inquiries with professional discretion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 3+ years of payroll accounting experience in Saudi Arabia, preferably in industrial/manufacturing.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Saudi Labor Law, GOSI rules, and Wage Protection System (WPS).

Responsibilities

• Execute monthly payroll cycles by validating attendance, shift allowances, and overtime for employees to ensure accurate net pay.
• Manage statutory filings including GOSI, Mudad wage protection uploads, and ZATCA reports.
• Reconcile payroll bank transfers with general ledger entries and prepare monthly journal entries for salaries, accruals, and provisions.
• Maintain employee master data integrity in the HRIS and ensure alignment with contracts and Muqeem visa statuses.
• Provide payroll journals, variance analyses, and documentation to support audits.
• Respond to employee queries about payslips, deductions, and end-of-service benefits with accuracy.
• Identify workflow improvements to reduce manual adjustments and improve data validation.
• Compute final settlements for departing employees (pro-rated salaries, leave encashment, end-of-service).

Skills

Advanced Excel

Attention to detail

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Local Saudi payroll platforms

Job description

Saudi Gold Refinery (SGR) is seeking a Payroll Accountant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to manage the accurate and timely processing of payroll for our refining and corporate workforce. This role ensures strict compliance with Saudi labor laws, GOSI regulations and Wage Protection System requirements while maintaining precise financial records. The successful candidate will handle complex compensation elements including shift differentials and overtime for plant operations staff. The Payroll Accountant will report directly to the Payroll Supervisor and will play a key role in maintaining the integrity of our payroll data and statutory filings. This position requires a disciplined approach to monthly closing cycles and proactive management of government portal submissions to support SGR’s operational continuity.

Key Responsibilities

The Payroll Accountant will be responsible for the following key areas:

Payroll Execution

• The role executes monthly payroll cycles by validating attendance, shift allowances and overtime for plant and office employees to ensure accurate net pay calculations.

Statutory Compliance

• This position manages all statutory filings including GOSI subscriptions, Mudad wage protection uploads and ZATCA reports in strict adherence to regulatory deadlines.

Financial Reconciliation

• The accountant reconciles payroll bank transfers with general ledger entries and prepares monthly journal entries for salaries, accruals and provisions.

Data Management

• The role maintains employee master data integrity within the HRIS system and ensures alignment with employment contracts and visa statuses tracked in Muqeem.

Audit Support

• This position provides detailed payroll journals, variance analyses and supporting documentation to facilitate smooth internal and external audit processes.

Employee Inquiries

• The accountant responds to employee queries regarding payslips, deductions and end-of-service benefits with factual accuracy and professional discretion.

Process Improvement

• The role identifies opportunities to streamline payroll workflows and reduce manual adjustments through better data validation and system utilization.

Offboarding Settlements

• This position calculates final settlements for departing employees including pro-rated salaries, unused leave encashment and end-of-service benefits.

Success Metrics

• Zero errors in monthly salary disbursements and bank transfer files.
• 100 on-time submission of GOSI and Mudad files within regulatory windows.
• Monthly payroll reconciliation completed within three days of period end.
• Employee payroll inquiries resolved within two business days on average.
• Zero penalties or compliance breaches related to wage protection or social insurance.
• Accurate monthly accruals for end-of-service benefits and leave liabilities.
• Successful completion of annual external audit with no major payroll findings.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Saudi Gold Refinery welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. Hiring decisions are made based on role requirements, skills, experience and alignment with Saudization and Vision 2030 priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• At least three years of payroll accounting experience in Saudi Arabia, preferably in an industrial or manufacturing setting.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Saudi Labor Law, GOSI rules, and Wage Protection System (WPS) mechanisms.
• Advanced Excel skills including the use of pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and logical functions for data analysis.
• Experience with HRIS and ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, or local Saudi payroll platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and maintain accuracy during high-pressure monthly closing periods.
• Fluency in English is required, with working proficiency in Arabic for navigating government portals.
• Strong understanding of internal controls and confidentiality principles in financial operations.
• Preferred / Nice-to-have: Professional certification in HR or Payroll such as CIPD, SHRM-CP, or PHRi.
• Prior experience in the mining, metals, or heavy industry sector with shift-based workforce management.
• Demonstrated track record of supporting successful external audits with minimal findings.
• Familiarity with ZATCA e-invoicing requirements and their application to service providers.