Payroll and Tax Accountant

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (Malawi) Limited; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 480 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A multinational financial services company in South Africa is seeking a Payroll and Tax Accountant to manage payroll for over 3,000 employees. The role involves ensuring compliance with tax legislation, preparing payroll tax reports, and handling various accounting duties. Candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in payroll accounting, with strong knowledge of payroll systems and tax law. A BCom degree in Accounting or Tax is essential, offering a competitive salary and potential for career growth.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Career growth opportunities

Work-life balance

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in payroll accounting and payroll tax administration.
• Experience with large headcount payroll (3,000+ employees).
• Hands-on experience in accounting for employee share schemes.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and submit EMP 201 and EMP 501 submissions and reconciliations.
• Accounting for employee share schemes and related tax implications.
• Ensure adherence to company policies and legislative requirements.

Skills

Strong knowledge of payroll tax legislation and SARS requirements

Proficiency in payroll systems (e.g., Oracle)

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Attention to detail and accuracy

Effective communication skills

Education

BCom degree in Accounting, Tax, or related field

National Diploma in Payroll Administration

Professional qualification (e.g., SAPA, CPP)

Tools

Oracle

MS Excel

Job description

Let's Write Africa's Story Together!

Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

This role will be responsible to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll and tax accounting for a large workforce (3,000+ employees). The role encompasses managing payroll tax reconciliations, payroll processing and accounting, and general ledger functions, while ensuring legislative and regulatory compliance. Key responsibilities include preparing and submitting EMP201 and EMP501 returns, reconciling payroll-related accounts, and supporting statutory reporting requirements. The position plays a critical role in safeguarding payroll accounting and tax accuracy, maintaining financial integrity, and enabling efficient payroll operations aligned with governance standards.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and submit EMP 201 and EMP 501 submissions and reconciliations, across five payrolls or more, accurately and on time.
• Prepare PAYE, UIF, SDL, and SARS submissions accurately and timeously.
• Accounting for employee share schemes, including IFRS 2 compliance, fair value calculations, and related tax implications.
• Accurate recording and reconciliation of employee SARS codes across 5 payrolls or more (employees, brokers).
• Point of contact for IT88 administration and reconciliation.
• Update payment records on Easyfile.
• Administer employee deductions for Company rental cars and annual reconciliation thereof.
• Accurate and timeous processing of all Payroll reconciliations.
• Clearing of outstanding items on the reconciliations and to ensure that all outstanding items are investigated, valid explanations provided for with necessary follow ups and escalations performed.
• Maintain general ledger accounts and prepare journal entries for accruals and/or variances.
• Ensure that where interface or bookkeeping errors have occurred the necessary provisional journals are processed to maintain financial accuracy.
• Performing of the monthly bank reconciliation process and that all unknown or unaccounted for transactions are timeously and accurately posted to the relevant balance sheet, income statement and suspense/control accounts.
• Tracking of Payroll Bank Account statement to ensure all transactions are cleared up and allocated accordingly.
• Liaise with external departments to clear unallocated bank statement items.
• Ensure the clearing of all reconciling items and control accounts.
• Provide support for both internal and external audits.
• Prepare payroll tax reports for management and statutory purposes.
• Adhering to standard accounting principles and company procedures.
• Implement and maintain internal controls for payroll and tax processes.
• Ensure adherence to company policies and legislative requirements.
• Liaise with HR, Finance, and Tax on payroll tax matters.
• Provide guidance on payroll tax queries and compliance issues.
• Engage with SARS to ensure matters are resolved timeously.
• Act as additional support for Payroll Function (Input capturing, medical aid recon).
• Perform additional duties as required to support departmental objectives.

Education

• BCom degree in Accounting, Tax, or related field and/or
• A National Diploma in Payroll Administration or similar qualification can be advantageous.
• Professional qualification (e.g., SAPA, CPP, SAIPA, SAIT, CIMA) will be advantageous.

Experience and Knowledge Required

• Minimum 5 years' experience in payroll accounting and payroll tax administration, including PAYE, UIF, SDL and SARS submissions.
• Experience with large headcount payroll (3,000+ employees).
• Monthly reconciliations, year-end tax submissions, and audit support.
• Hands-on experience in accounting for employee share schemes, including IFRS 2 compliance, fair value calculations, and related tax implications.
• Proven ability to manage SARS reporting for share-based payments, including IRP5 coding and reconciliation of equity compensation.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of payroll tax legislation and SARS requirements.
• Proficiency in payroll systems (e.g., Oracle) and MS Excel.
• Understanding of IFRS and tax accounting principles.
• Familiarity with SARS eFiling, EMP201/EMP501 submissions, and IRP5 reconciliations.
• Strong understanding of South African tax legislation and statutory requirements for payroll and share-based compensation.

Soft Skills

• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong Knowledge of Accounting Principles
• Demonstrates a solid understanding of financial and tax accounting standards.
• Accounts Reconciliation Expertise
• Skilled in reconciling payroll-related accounts and resolving discrepancies accurately.
• Payroll Operations Management
• Proficient in end-to-end payroll processes for large employee headcount.
• Analytical Problem Solving
• Solving for Payroll Investigations - Ability to investigate and resolve payroll variances and compliance issues effectively.
• Independent and Collaborative Work Style
• Works autonomously while fostering teamwork across Finance and HR functions.
• Integrity and Confidentiality
• Maintains high ethical standards and protects sensitive payroll and tax information.
• Effective Communication Skills
• Communicates clearly and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.
• Planning and Organizational Ability
• Prioritizes tasks, manages deadlines, and ensures timely delivery of payroll and tax obligations.
• Tax and Payroll Compliance Knowledge
• Ensures adherence to SARS regulations and legislative requirements for payroll tax.

Recruitment Process

• TA Interview: This will be a discussion with a member of the Talent Acquisition Team to give you an understanding of our business, our culture & values and more context on the role. It will also allow us the opportunity to get to know you more and ensure OMI can meet your career aspirations.
• Panel Interview: This will be with 2 members of the Senior Leadership of the Hiring Team and 1 member of the HC Leadership Team.
• Technical & Psychometric Assessments: These will depend on the role and will sometimes happen concurrently with Vetting through an external service provider & Internal Verification.
• Final Feedback.

Closing Date

29 December 2025, 23:59

Please note that, unfortunately, we cannot accept any applications after the closing date.

Appointment Procedure

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

The Old Mutual Story!

The Old Mutual Story!