Payroll Manager

PTY; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Part time

Job summary

Red Ember Recruitment (PTY) Ltd is hiring a Payroll Manager in Brackenfell, SA. You will lead end-to-end payroll operations across multiple African countries using Sage 300 People, ensuring accurate processing, governance, and audit-ready records.

You will manage Payroll Supervisors, Specialists, and Bookkeepers and drive continuous improvement. The role requires 5–8 years of multi-country payroll experience and strong leadership, with a focus on compliance, timeliness, and risk management.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Payroll, Finance, HR or related field.
• Payroll certification (advantageous).
• 5–8 years’ payroll experience with multi-country African exposure.
• Hands-on Sage 300 People leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the operational delivery of monthly payrolls across assigned African countries.
• Oversee payroll processing, reconciliation, and payment preparation activities across teams.
• Ensure payrolls are processed in line with calendars, cut-offs, and internal controls.
• Coordinate payroll activities across Supervisors, Specialists, and Bookkeepers.
• Provide regular payroll operational status, risks, and dependencies to Head of Payroll.
• Provide second-level review and challenge over payroll outputs, reconciliations, and variances.
• Ensure first- and second-level reviews are performed by Supervisors and Specialists.
• Review high-risk payroll items, material adjustments, and control exceptions.
• Ensure payroll outputs, reconciliations, and payment schedules are fully supported and approved prior to escalation.
• Monitor payroll risks, control findings, and corrective actions.
• Governance of all payroll-related third-party payments (tax authorities, pension, medical, garnishees).
• Oversee third-party payment schedules and reconciliations.

Skills

People leadership

Payroll operations

Audit & controls

Cross-country payroll

Excel data analysis

Education

Diploma or Degree in Payroll, Finance, or HR

Tools

Sage 300 People

Excel

Job description

Red Ember Recruitment (PTY) Ltd | Contract

Payroll Manager

Brackenfell, South Africa

The Payroll Manager is accountable for the end-to-end operational delivery, governance, and performance of payroll and payroll-related third-party payments across multiple African countries using Sage 300 People.

The role ensures payroll processing, reconciliations, and payments are accurate, compliant, controlled, and audit-ready, while providing leadership to payroll teams and assurance to the Head of Payroll that all payroll outputs are prepared for regional review and final sign-off.

Responsibilities:

Payroll Operations Management:

• Own the operational delivery of monthly payrolls acrossassigned African countries.
• Oversee payroll processing, reconciliation, and paymentpreparation activities across teams.
• Ensure payrolls are processed in line with approvedcalendars, cut-offs, and internal controls.
• Coordinate payroll activities across Payroll Supervisors,Payroll Specialists, and Payroll Bookkeepers.
• Provide regular payroll operational status, risks, anddependencies to the Head of Payroll.
  

Payroll Review, Risk and Control Oversight:

• Provide second-level review and challenge over payrolloutputs, reconciliations, and variances.
• Ensure first-level and second-level reviews are performedby Supervisors and Specialists, respectively.
• Review high-risk payrollitems, material adjustments, and control exceptions.
• Ensure payroll outputs,reconciliations, and payment schedules are fully supported and approved priorto escalation.
• Monitor payroll risks,control findings, and corrective actions.
  

3rd-Party Payroll PaymentGovernance:

• Accountable for thegovernance and oversight of all payroll-related third-party payments, including: o Tax authorities o Pension, provident, andretirement funds o Medical aid and insuranceproviders o Garnishees and statutorybodies
• Oversee preparation andreview of third-party payment schedules and supporting reconciliations.
• Ensure segregation of dutiesbetween payroll processing, review, booking, and payment release.
• Monitor statutory deadlines,payment timelines, and confirmation of settlement.
• Escalate payment risks ormaterial discrepancies to the Head of Payroll.
  

Payroll Bookkeepingand Financial Integration:

• Oversee payroll bookkeepingactivities performed by Payroll Bookkeepers.
• Ensure accurate posting ofpayroll journals, accruals, and reversals to the general ledger.
• Review payroll controlaccount reconciliations and variance explanations.
• Ensure payroll outputsreconcile to third-party payments and financial records.
• Liaise with Finance onpayroll-related accounting, reporting, and audit requirements.
  

Sage 300 People – OperationalOwnership:

• Act as the operational ownerof Sage 300 People payroll execution.
• Ensure Payroll Supervisorsand Administrators follow approved system processes and controls.
• Oversee operational testingfor legislative updates, patches, and payroll cycle readiness.
• Escalate systemconfiguration, design, or risk matters to the Payroll Specialist (System Owner).
• Ensure stability andreliability of payroll outputs and interfaces.
  

Team Leadership and Performance Management:

• Lead, manage, and coachPayroll Supervisors, Payroll Specialists, and Payroll Bookkeepers.
• Ensure clear roleaccountability and effective collaboration across payroll functions.
• Set performance objectivesaligned to accuracy, timeliness, controls, and compliance.
• Manage team capacity,succession planning, and skills development.
• Reinforce a culture ofaccountability, quality, and ethical conduct.
  

Compliance, Audit and Governance:

• Ensure payroll operationscomply with country-specific legislation across African jurisdictions.
• Support and manage responsesto internal and external payroll audits.
• Ensure audit-readydocumentation, controls evidence, and resolution of findings.
• Drive continuous improvementin payroll governance and risk management Stakeholder & ExecutiveEngagement.
• Act as the primaryoperational escalation point for payroll, payments, and reconciliations.
• Engage with HR, Finance,Treasury, Tax, and external service providers.
• Provide clear, concisereporting and advice to the Head of Payroll.
• Support payroll-relatedchange initiatives and regional projects.
  
• Strong leadership across specialist and transactional teams.
• High control awareness and risk-based judgement.
• Ability to manage complexity and competing deadlines.
• High ethical standards and confidentiality.
• Sage 300 People (operational oversight and payrollexecution).
• Payroll controls, approvals, and risk management.
• Payroll bookkeeping, control accounts, and reconciliations.
• Third-party payment governance.
• Advanced payroll reporting and Excel analysis.
  

Requirements

• Diploma or Degree in Payroll, Finance, Human Resources, or arelated field.
• Payroll certification (SAIPA, SAPA, CIPP, or equivalent) –advantageous.
• 5–8 years’ payroll experience, including multi-countryAfrican payroll exposure.
• Proven experience managing Payroll Specialists, PayrollSupervisors, or Payroll Bookkeepers.
• Strong exposure to payroll reviews, third-party payments,reconciliations, and audits.
• Hands-on experience with Sage 300 People in a leadershipcapacity.