Payroll Operations Manager

Virgin Active South Africa (Pty) Ltd; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 550 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A premier wellness organization in South Africa seeks a Payroll Operations Manager to lead payroll processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance across benefits and payments. The ideal candidate will have over 7 years of payroll experience, strong leadership capabilities, and a passion for enhancing member experiences. This role emphasizes detailed record-keeping and a commitment to excellence in service delivery.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years working experience within payroll.
• 3+ years experience as a payroll specialist or manager.
• Proven experience in managing third party payments.

Responsibilities

• Manage pension and risk benefit calculations.
• Ensure timely submission of third-party payments.
• Oversee payroll team and ensure accuracy.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication

Proactiveness

Excel skills

Payroll systems proficiency

Interpersonal skills

Education

Related tertiary qualification

Job description

Our purpose is…

To change people’s lives through wellness. We are passionate about supporting people to lead healthy, fulfilled lives by providing a space where they can focus on their physical, mental and social well-being. Wellness can be confusing. We make it easy, honest, and welcoming for everyone.

Our mission is to deliver Social Wellness Club experiences that enable people to meet their personal wellness goals, through holistic physical, mental, nutritional and social wellbeing. At Virgin Active wellness is not just about fitness - it’s about creating real experiences that support members in their holistic health journey.

We provide a luxury wellness environment that fosters personal growth, community, and transformation. Our approach is accessible, inclusive, and built on the foundation of social wellness. We operate as a full-time onsite function - because we believe the best ideas come to life when we’re collaborating in person, sharing thoughts, and building together.

Our wellness offering is built on core pillars which define who we are and how we deliver on our promise:

1. Refreshing Real Experiences: Experiences that feel alive — no fake smiles, no dull workouts.
2. Real Guidance: Pro advice without the jargon.
3. Real Progress: Coaching made just for you, so it actually lasts.
4. Real Community: Everyone’s welcome, everyone belongs.
5. Real Innovation: Our app keeps you ahead of the curve — never behind.

Your Purpose…

• To change people’s lives for the better through wellness, through delivering on OUR PROMISE, which is to welcome and know our members. Be the host whilst owning every interaction and make the member experience memorable
• To drive a social wellness club by having a natural service orientation with a deep passion for wellness and desire to make a positive difference every day
• As Payroll Operations Manager, you will be the custodian of pension and risk benefit management, various third-party payments such as medical aid, managing sales incentive and commission payments and manage day to day operations of the payroll team.

Your Duties and Responsibilities

Pension and risk benefits

• Accurately track, record and reconcile all employee and employer pension and risk contributions.
• Ensure that all pension and risk calculations and employee deductions are valid, accurate and complete.
• Prepare pension and risk payment batches.
• Prepare monthly data for Discovery in specific format and address all queries raised.
• Maintain and update documents as changes occur, ensuring they reflect the latest policies and participant information.
• Supervise and oversee the staff benefit payments, including withdrawals, disability payments, funeral, death payments and critical illness payments.
• Prepare for and assist during external audits, providing necessary documentation and records.
• Serve as a point of contact for employees who have questions about their pension or risk plans or deductions.

Third party employee payments including medical aid

• Prepare third party payment batches and ensure payments are made according to the deadlines.
• Oversee payroll data submitted to third party providers ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Investigate and resolve payroll third party issues swiftly to maintain trust and accuracy.

Sales incentives and commission payment

• Prepare monthly reporting to various role players
• Ensuring timely processing of sales incentives received from the sales department
• Ensuring timely updating of the commission due to staff on payroll.
• Submit daily reporting to IT department for creation of sales codes
• Make the necessary adjustments to figures according to instructions received from the commission team
• Manage the senior staff leave pay by ensuring that the correct leave pay is paid to senior sales staff

Payroll team management

• The role involves managing a team of payroll administrators, lead, mentor and developing the payroll team and fostering a positive and productive work environment.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide training as needed.
• Manage the maintenance of thorough documentation of payroll processes
• Provide training to staff on payroll-related issues and procedures

We can’t live without… (Minimum Requirements)

• Related tertiary qualification with minimum +7 years’ working experience within payroll
• 3+ years’ experience as a payroll specialist or payroll manager
• Proven experience in managing third party payments, such as medical scheme payments, pension provider payments, SARS payments or any other third-party payment schedules
• Proven experience in managing incentive or commission scheme schedules and payments
• Proven experience in managing pension fund and risk calculations and payments
• Ability to manage and oversee risk and pension processes from withdrawals and benefit claims
• High attention to detail, speed, agility and accuracy
• Proactiveness, collaborative, innovative and determined initiative
• Proficiency in payroll systems and statutory employee deductions
• Strong excel and reporting skills
• Excellent communication skills

We’d like you to have… (Attributes)

• Adaptability (must be able to adapt to a fast paced, changing environment)
• Be curious (must be willing to succeed, seek opportunities to learn and grow)
• Have a winning mentality (must be willing to go over and above to achieve success)
• Must be motivated to achieve success.
• A commitment to making a difference in people’s lives.
• A Growth mindset
• The ability to work independently.
• Trustworthiness (must always act in doing the right thing)
• A drive to create moments of magic for our members.
• The ability to make decisions and take ownership and responsibility for the decision.
• Action orientation

We’d love you to have… (additional skills)

• Wellness knowledge, to engage and inspire others to take a holistic approach to wellness.
• The ability to be agile.
• The ability to be collaborative.
• High Interpersonal skills (EQ)