Payroll Team Leader

Profile Personnel; Oos-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Profile Personnel is seeking an experienced Payroll Team Leader to oversee day-to-day payroll operations across multiple companies, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and strong controls.

This hands-on leadership role requires guiding and developing a payroll team, reviewing inputs and calculations, and maintaining compliant documentation while collaborating with HR, Finance and operations to resolve payroll matters.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years' payroll experience within a multi-company payroll environment.
• Minimum 2 years' experience supervising or leading a payroll team.
• Strong understanding of South African labour legislation, payroll taxation and SARS requirements.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations and month-end processes.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee the end-to-end payroll process across the organisation.
• Manage daily payroll activities and ensure deadlines are consistently achieved.
• Lead, support and develop payroll team members.
• Review payroll inputs, calculations and exception reports for completeness and accuracy.
• Perform and review payroll reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Ensure payroll records, supporting documentation and working papers are accurately maintained.
• Monitor compliance with payroll legislation, SARS requirements, employee benefit regulations and internal policies.
• Liaise with HR, Finance and operational management to resolve payroll-related matters.
• Identify and elevate payroll risks, exceptions and control weaknesses.
• Support internal and external audit requirements by preparing accurate supporting documentation.
• Assist with payroll process improvements, system enhancements and reporting requirements.
• Maintain positive working relationships with employees, management, service providers and regulatory bodies.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Attention to detail

Team management

Excel skills

Labour law

Data analysis

Education

Payroll/HR/Finance degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

A well-established organisation is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Payroll Team Leader to oversee day-to-day payroll operations across the organisation.

This is a hands-on leadership role suited to an experienced payroll professional who is comfortable working within a multi-company payroll environment, managing operational detail, maintaining strong payroll controls and supporting a team to deliver an accurate and reliable payroll service.

Requirements, Experience & Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years' payroll experience within a multi-company payroll environment.
• Minimum 2 years' experience supervising or leading a payroll team.
• Strong understanding of South African labour legislation, payroll taxation, employee benefits and statutory reporting requirements.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations and month-end payroll processes.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Strong systems aptitude and the ability to work with large payroll datasets.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee the end-to-end payroll process across the organisation.
• Manage daily payroll activities and ensure deadlines are consistently achieved.
• Lead, support and develop payroll team members.
• Review payroll inputs, calculations and exception reports for completeness and accuracy.
• Perform and review payroll reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Ensure payroll records, supporting documentation and working papers are accurately maintained.
• Monitor compliance with payroll legislation, SARS requirements, employee benefit regulations and internal policies.
• Liaise with HR, Finance and operational management to resolve payroll-related matters.
• Identify and elevate payroll risks, exceptions and control weaknesses.
• Support internal and external audit requirements by preparing accurate supporting documentation.
• Assist with payroll process improvements, system enhancements and reporting requirements.
• Maintain positive working relationships with employees, management, service providers and regulatory bodies.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality and professionalism.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Effective problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• Good communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to manage deadlines and perform effectively under pressure.
• Strong ownership and accountability.
• Team leadership and coaching capability.
• Continuous improvement mindset.