Payroll Specialist

Prime Investments; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services group in Gauteng is seeking a Payroll Specialist responsible for the end-to-end administration of payroll operations. The ideal candidate must have a diploma in Accounting or Finance, at least three years of payroll experience, and proficiency in payroll software like Payspace. This role demands a high level of accuracy and confidentiality, ensuring compliance with payroll legislation while generating reports and managing employee benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in payroll administration.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll and ensure statutory compliance.
• Reconcile employee benefits with the payroll system.
• Generate and analyze payroll reports.

Skills

Payroll administration

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Strong communication skills

Confidentiality

Education

Diploma in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

Payspace (Deel)

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Who We Are

Prime Investments is a distinguished, award‑winning financial services group, regulated and operating across South Africa, Guernsey, Mauritius, and Botswana. With a team of over 85 professionals—spanning offices in the above jurisdictions, we specialise in fund services including administration, accounting, investor services, and multi‑jurisdictional distribution.

Our expertise supports both traditional and alternative fund structures and mandates, ensuring tailored solutions for a diverse client base.

What Sets Us Apart

At Prime Investments, we believe that exceptional service begins with empowered people. We foster a culture where trust, autonomy, and collaboration are paramount. We don’t track time or micromanage—we work with capable, committed individuals and trust them to deliver their best. Our environment is transparent, supportive, and driven by a shared enthusiasm for excellence—both in how we serve our clients and how we support one another.

Function Overview

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the end‑to‑end administration of payroll operations. This includes processing payroll, ensuring statutory compliance, managing employee benefits, handling payroll queries, and supporting system upgrades and audits.

The role requires a high level of accuracy, confidentiality, and knowledge of payroll legislation and systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Payroll roll over and processing of monthly payroll.
• Implement necessary changes to employee records and payroll data.
• Reconcile employee benefits with payroll system (e.g., Life Cover, Medical Cover, Retirement Annuities).
• Generate and analyse payroll reports.
• Submit recoveries to relevant employers for approval.
• Submit employee salaries to Netcash.
• Distribute employee payslips.
• Submit Retirement Annuity (RA) amounts to finance for payment processing.
• Perform statutory reconciliations (SDL, UIF, PAYE) and submit via E‑Filing.
• Submit UIF declarations.
• Address ad‑hoc payroll queries from employers and employees.
• Monitor compliance with payroll‑related legislation and internal policies.
• Support payroll system upgrades and testing of new features.
• Provide training and support to HR and finance teams on payroll processes.
• Prepare documentation and reports for internal and external audits.
• Maintain payroll data in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
• Direct interaction with SARS for statutory submissions and resolving discrepancies.
• Payroll responsibilities during onboarding and offboarding (e.g., final pay, leave encashment, exit documentation).
• Managing payroll timelines, deadlines, and communication of cut‑off dates to stakeholders.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance payroll efficiency and accuracy.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of changes in payroll legislation and best practices.
• Assist with the setup of performance management metric within the payroll system.

Required Skills & Experience

• Diploma in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in payroll administration.
• Experience working on Payspace (Deel) highly advantageous.
• Proficiency in payroll software and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation and statutory requirements.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.