Payroll Accountant (Remote, South Africa)

IllTip; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 360,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

IllTip is seeking a Remote Payroll Accountant based in South Africa to manage end-to-end payroll for a U.S.-based client. You will ensure accurate and timely payments under U.S. payroll rules while collaborating with HR and finance teams.

Responsibilities include processing multiple pay cycles, tax filings, reconciliations, and delivering audit-ready reports. Strong English, confidentiality, and experience with ADP/Paychex/Gusto are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of payroll processing experience.
• Experience with at least one payroll platform (ADP, Paychex, Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, BambooHR).
• Knowledge of U.S. payroll tax regulations and compliance.
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills, including pivot tables and lookups.
• Excellent written and verbal English with high confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Process bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly payrolls while verifying time entries, overtime, bonuses, and deductions.
• Record payroll journal entries and reconcile related accounts in accounting software.
• Prepare federal, state and local payroll tax filings (forms 941, W-2, 1099).
• Reconcile benefit deductions and coordinate with providers on discrepancies.
• Answer employee payroll questions and support payroll setup for new hires.
• Build payroll, headcount and labor cost reports with audit-ready SOPs.

Skills

Payroll processing

US payroll taxes

Excel

Attention to detail

English proficiency

Tools

ADP

Paychex

Gusto

QuickBooks Payroll

BambooHR

Job description

Applicants must be based in South Africa. Working hours are flexible and aligned with U.S. client business hours. A recruitment firm is hiring on behalf of a U.S.-based client for a remote Payroll Accountant. The role covers end-to-end payroll operations, making sure employees are paid accurately and on time under U.S. payroll rules. It also combines payroll accounting, tax compliance, reconciliations and financial reporting for a company with roughly 50 to 500 employees.

Responsibilities

• Process bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly payrolls, checking time entries, overtime, bonuses, commissions and deductions before each run.
• Record payroll journal entries and reconcile payroll clearing accounts and payroll-related bank transactions in accounting software such as QuickBooks, NetSuite or Xero.
• Prepare federal, state and local payroll tax payments and filings, including forms 941, W-2 and 1099.
• Reconcile benefit deductions and employer contributions against employee benefit elections and coordinate with providers on discrepancies.
• Answer employee payroll questions on paychecks, direct deposit and tax withholding, and support payroll setup for new hires.
• Build recurring payroll, headcount and labor cost reports, and keep audit-ready documentation and SOPs.

Requirements

• At least 2 years of hands-on payroll processing experience.
• Working experience with at least one payroll platform such as ADP, Paychex, Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll or BambooHR.
• Working knowledge of U.S. payroll tax regulations and compliance.
• Experience with payroll accounting and reconciliations.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, including pivot tables and XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP.
• Excellent written and verbal English and strong attention to detail and confidentiality.

Applicants must be based in: South Africa.