Payroll Officer

InvisionHR; South Africa; Hybrid; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A payroll services company in South Africa is hiring a Payroll Officer to manage end-to-end payroll for multiple clients. The role requires strong experience in payroll legislation, alongside the ability to ensure accuracy and compliance. You will handle payroll functions independently and provide advisory services to clients. The ideal candidate has 4-5 years of experience and proficient knowledge of payroll systems like SimplePay. This position offers an in-office or hybrid work setup.

Qualifications

• 4-5 years' proven payroll experience within a multi-company or accounting environment.
• Solid track record of handling full payroll function independently.
• In-depth understanding of payroll legislation and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process for multiple clients.
• Oversee calculation and processing of earnings, deductions, allowances, and benefits.
• Ensure compliance with South African payroll-related laws and regulations.
• Prepare and submit statutory returns and reconciliations.
• Handle SARS queries, verifications, and audits.
• Provide professional payroll advisory services.
• Collaborate with HR and Finance teams.

Skills

Accuracy & Attention to Detail

Compliance Focused

Analytical Thinking

Problem-Solving

Confidentiality & Integrity

Organisational Skills

Client Service Orientation

Collaboration

Communication Skills

Adaptability

Education

3-year Diploma or relevant tertiary qualification in Payroll, HR, Accounting

Tools

SimplePay

Payspace

Sage Payroll

Pastel Payroll

Excel

MS Office

Job description

Summary

We're hiring a detail-driven Payroll Officer to manage end-to-end payroll for multiple clients, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and exceptional client service.

Location

Stellenbosch, South Africa

Work set-up

In-Office / Hybrid

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process for multiple clients, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely execution of all payroll runs (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly).
• Oversee the calculation and processing of earnings, deductions, allowances, and benefits, including medical aid, pension, and statutory deductions.
• Ensure statutory compliance with all South African payroll-related laws and regulations (PAYE, UIF, WCA, COIDA, EMP201, EMP501, IRP5).
• Prepare and submit all statutory returns and reconciliations within deadlines, liaising with SARS and Department of Labour as needed.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date payroll records and reporting, safeguarding confidentiality in line with POPIA and other regulations.
• Handle SARS queries, verifications, and audits, ensuring efficient resolution and preventing penalties or non-compliance.
• Provide professional payroll advisory services to clients, resolving payroll-related queries, and assisting with payroll setup, onboarding, and terminations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of payroll processes, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction.
• Support the Payroll Team with guidance, training, and problem-solving where required.
• Collaborate with HR and Finance teams from the different companies to ensure alignment of payroll with employee lifecycle events and financial reporting.

Requirements

Education

• A 3-year Diploma or relevant tertiary qualification in Payroll, HR, Accounting, or related field (advantageous).

Experience

• 4-5 years' proven payroll experience within a multi-company or accounting environment.
• Solid track record of handling full payroll function independently.

Technical Knowledge

• In-depth understanding of payroll legislation and compliance requirements (PAYE, UIF, WCA, SARS regulations).
• Strong knowledge of payroll best practices and employee tax regulations.
• Proficiency with payroll systems (SimplePay required; Payspace, Sage, or Pastel Payroll advantageous).
• Strong Excel and MS Office skills.

Competencies

• Accuracy & Attention to Detail - consistently delivers error-free payroll processing.
• Compliance Focused - strong knowledge of statutory and tax regulations with ability to ensure full compliance.
• Analytical Thinking - able to reconcile payroll accounts, spot errors, and resolve discrepancies efficiently.
• Problem-Solving - skilled in resolving payroll queries and managing SARS interventions.
• Confidentiality & Integrity - maintains the highest level of discretion when handling sensitive employee data.
• Organisational Skills - capable of managing multiple client payrolls and meeting tight deadlines.
• Client Service Orientation - professional, responsive, and solutions-driven in client interactions.
• Collaboration - able to work well within a payroll/finance team and provide support to colleagues.
• Communication Skills - proficient in written and spoken English and Afrikaans.
• Adaptability - thrives in a complex, fast-changing environment and takes initiative to improve processes.