Payroll Manager - 8 Month Contract

Contractor; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Contractor in Cape Town seeks a Payroll Manager to lead the full end-to-end South African payroll for about 350 employees and support UK/Ireland payroll activities with movements and expenses.

You will handle statutory submissions, reconciliations, and employee benefits, and collaborate with Remuneration & Benefits for maternity-cover handover. The role requires accuracy, independence and the ability to hit the ground running on an eight-month contract.

Qualifications

• Extensive end-to-end payroll and benefits experience.
• Experience managing 300+ employees.
• Advanced Sage 300 People – essential.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax, statutory submissions, reconciliations and compliance.
• Experience with EMP501, WCA, payroll-to-ledger reconciliations and month-end journals.
• International payroll exposure, particularly UK/Ireland, advantageous.
• Independently with minimal supervision.
• Hit the ground running from day one.

Responsibilities

• Manage full end-to-end South African payroll for approximately 350 employees.
• Process starters, terminations, salary changes, allowances, benefits and employee movements.
• Oversee UK and Ireland payroll activities, including movements, expenses and payment approvals.
• Manage statutory submissions, EMP501, payroll tax reconciliations, WCA, and payroll compliance.
• Perform payroll-to-ledger, creditor and remuneration reconciliations, including month-end journals.
• Administer employee benefits including medical aid, provident fund, risk benefits, gap cover, Vitality and EAP.
• Manage leave administration, payroll queries and employee support.
• Maintain strong payroll controls, records and documentation.
• Work closely with the Remuneration & Benefits team and ensure a smooth maternity-cover handover.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

300+ employees

UK/Ireland payroll

Detail oriented

Independent worker

Tax & compliance

Education

Accounting or tax qualification

Tools

Sage 300 People

Job description

• Manage the full end-to-end South African payroll for approximately 350 employees.
• Process starters, terminations, salary changes, allowances, benefits and employee movements.
• Oversee UK and Ireland payroll activities, including movements, expenses and payment approvals.
• Manage statutory submissions, EMP501, payroll tax reconciliations, WCA, and payroll compliance.
• Perform payroll-to-ledger, creditor and remuneration reconciliations, including month-end journals.
• Administer employee benefits including medical aid, provident fund, risk benefits, gap cover, Vitality and EAP.
• Manage leave administration, payroll queries and employee support.
• Maintain strong payroll controls, records and documentation.
• Work closely with the Remuneration & Benefits team and ensure a smooth maternity-cover handover.

Ideal Candidate

• Extensive end-to-end payroll and benefits experience.
• Experience managing 300+ employees.
• Advanced Sage 300 People – essential.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax, statutory submissions, reconciliations and compliance.
• Experience with EMP501, WCA, payroll-to-ledger reconciliations and month-end journals.
• International payroll exposure, particularly UK/Ireland, advantageous.
• Highly accurate, detail-oriented and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Accounting or tax qualification advantageous but not essential.
• Must be able to hit the ground running from day one.

Non-Negotiables

• Advanced Sage 300 People
• Full end-to-end payroll experience
• Payroll of 300+ employees
• Strong statutory, tax and reconciliation experience
• Strong payroll and benefits knowledge
• Ability to work independently and take full ownership of the function

Payroll Manager - 8 Month Contract South Africa, Western Cape - Southern Suburbs