Payroll Manager – LWPM

Armstrong Appointments; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency in South Africa seeks an accomplished Payroll Manager to manage payroll for over 4000 employees. This integral role requires a strong background in payroll compliance, accounting principles, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor's degree in Accounting or related fields and a minimum of 10 years' experience in payroll processing, with at least 3 years in a management role. The position offers a competitive salary of up to R80,000 CTC, with opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in payroll processing.
• Minimum 3 years in a supervisory or management role.
• Strong understanding of payroll laws and tax regulations.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing.
• Develop and implement payroll policies to ensure compliance.
• Lead and mentor the payroll team.
• Prepare financial entries and general ledger files.
• Handle payroll-related audits.

Skills

Accounting principles

Payroll software proficiency (Sage 300)

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration

Tools

Sage 300

Job description

Main job function

An outstanding opportunity for an accomplished Payroll Manager to join the busy team in this visionary, purpose-driven organisation. With over 4000 employees and more than 40 businesses across the Group, this is a challenging, demanding role for a highly organised individual with exceptional attention to detail and a high degree of numerical literacy. The role reports to the HR Director and has +- 9 direct reports.

The Payroll Manager will be responsible for the end-to-end management of the company’s payroll, ensuring all employees are compensated accurately and on time while maintaining strict compliance with all local labour and tax legislation. This role requires a strong combination of payroll expertise and financial acumen, including general ledger reconciliations, reporting, and supporting internal and external financial audits.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust payroll policies and procedures to ensure compliance with internal controls and all relevant legal and tax obligations (e.g., SARS, UIF, SDL, BCEA, PSIRA or MIBCO regulations in South Africa).
• Collaborate closely with the Finance and HR departments to ensure seamless data flow, alignment of pay cycles with accounting calendars, and accurate employee data across systems.
• Prepare and process payroll-related financial entries, general ledger (GL) files, and conduct comprehensive variance analyses.
• Lead, mentor, and coach a team of payroll specialists, fostering a culture of accuracy and efficiency.
• Monthly EMP 201, Annual WCA return of earnings, loading new employees, Correct rates of pay are applied, Provident funds and RFI linking, Correct company vehicles and petrol tax, Correct leave methods linked and relevant employees linked to ESS
• Successful addition and set up of new companies on the payroll system, successful registration of new companies for all legislative requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in end-to-end payroll processing, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role.

Criteria

• Strong understanding of accounting principles and financial reporting standards as they relate to payroll.
• In-depth knowledge of current payroll procedures, related laws, and tax regulations.
• Proficiency with payroll software (Sage 300) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills (formulas, pivot tables, reconciliation).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and mathematical skills with a high attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information clearly to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict, non-negotiable deadlines under pressure.

Salary

Up to R80,000 CTC

A Consultant will be in touch if you are shortlisted for the position. Please consider your application unsuccessful should you not have been contacted within 2 weeks. We will keep your CV on our database and contact you should you match the criteria of any other vacancies.