Senior Payroll Manager

Boardroom Appointments; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 750 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to oversee payroll operations across multiple business units. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of progressive experience in payroll management with strong leadership skills. Responsibilities include administering the payroll system, ensuring compliance with legislation, and managing a dedicated team. Expertise in Workday and PaySpace is advantageous. Excellent communication and analytical skills are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience in payroll within a multinational company.
• 5 years in payroll management with international exposure.
• Experience in managing multiple payroll administrations.

Responsibilities

• Administer payroll and relevant systems for service delivery.
• Manage group payroll function across business units.
• Ensure compliance with statutory payroll regulations.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Strong planning and organizing skills

Strong financial and business acumen

Expert knowledge of payroll principles

Strong knowledge of tax legislation

High level of resilience

Strong interpersonal skills

Education

Professional membership in South African Payroll Association (SAPA)

Tools

Workday

PaySpace

MS Office Suite

Job description

• HR Information System and/or Payroll System certifications (Workday and/or PaySpace will be advantageous)

Years of Experience:

• 8 years of progressive, professional experience in payroll within a multinational listed company
• 5 years of progressive experience in a payroll management
• International experience with Payroll management and administration
• Experience with the management of multiple business unit payroll administration
• Experience in Payroll Bureau service management
• Workday and PaySpace exposure will be advantageous

Professional Membership:

• Professional membership in South African Payroll Association (SAPA) or related professional institutes.

Other requirements:

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Deep knowledge and experience with HR Information Systems and/or Payroll systems (example Workday, Payspace) managing vendors and service providers.
• Experience in operating at a strategic and tactical operational level.
• Strong planning, organizing and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail abilities.
• A strong understanding and appreciation of the cultural norms, ways of working and ability to adapt programmes accordingly.
• People focused with an ability to strongly lead a team through any circumstance.
• Ability to influence and build strong relationships at all levels and throughout the organization.
• Demonstrated success in managing multiple projects to deliver results under tight deadlines.
• High level of resilience and emotional intelligence to engage with different stakeholders.
• Strong passion for technology
• Strong financial and business acumen
• Excellent numerical skills and advanced accounting skills
• Expert knowledge of business and industry standards and best practices in the payroll principles and process, remuneration and employee benefits field.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of tax as related to Remuneration and Benefits
• Expert knowledge of relevant legislation i.e., Tax, BCEA, LRA, COIDA and UIF
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Self-driven and independent
• Strong Computer proficiency (MS Office with specific knowledge and skills in PowerPoint, Word, Outlook & Excel)

Responsibilities:

• Administer and maintain payroll and the relevant payroll system to ensure that payroll delivers a value-added service.
• Effectively manage the group payroll function to ensure accurate and efficient service delivery to the multiple business units, both nationally and internationally.
• Day to day administration of the payroll, including month end activities, interface with finance, calculation, and payment of payroll Tax, plus coordination of the superannuation contributions.
• Responsible for the general ledger (GL) integrations and trouble shooting.
• Investigate and report on payroll queries and act on findings/recommendations as and when required.
• Resolve all escalated and directed stakeholder queries and complaints.
• Responsible for 3rd party and statutory reports, reconciliations, and payments.
• Processing of the remuneration reviews and bonus payments.
• Responsible for the payroll cash forecast, payment releases and monthly payroll roll-overs.
• Responsible for the annual IRP5 reconciliations.
• To provide the annual reports to the tax department and provide the human capital (HC) teams with guidance on tax matters as related to payroll, compensation, or benefits as needed.
• Ensure compliance and manage the leave accrual, allocation, and payment upon termination as per company policies and procedures and within the relevant legislative requirements.
• Partner with HC Leadership and the HC teams to identify payroll needs and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Utilise trends within company and related organisations to develop best practice initiatives for the company
• Provide strategic direction and thought leadership on payroll management to the payroll team and across the company.
• Provide in depth technical and functional subject matter expertise for payroll related activities.
• Define appropriate metrics to measure, analyse, and report on the overall payroll activities and performance.
• Responsible for payroll reports to various stakeholders as required.
• Advise and drive the necessary actions for the payroll platforms and related systems to enable the optimisation of the payroll function.
• Review and monitor initiatives across the group, related to all payroll activities; encourage alignment and ensure compliance to legislation and other relevant standards.
• Enable a learning culture through effectively utilising available technology and platforms to ensure maximum automation of payroll activities across the group.
• Ensure up-to-date relevant policies and procedures that are aligned to best practice and ensure conformity with policy requirements related to payroll aspects.
• Ensure that payroll complies with statutory requirements, regulations, standards, company policies and procedures as well as corporate governance principles.
• Actively and timeously resolve any potential issues or any findings related to an audit.
• Manage and participate in audits as required and ensure compliance within all payroll activities.
• Attend meetings and follow through on any actions, related to payroll activities, with external and internal stakeholders.
• Managing of any service level agreement contract/s for payroll with internal or external parties.
• Develop strategic relationships with relevant partners and service providers.
• Management of the payroll system and systems related to payroll and/or the integration with any other system (Workday, D365, etc.).
• Responsible for reporting and legislative or statutory compliance as related to payroll directly and where applicable the payroll input required for indirect reporting and legislative compliance as per the company requirements (BBBEE, COIDA, Employment Equity, Skills Development, Department of Employment and Labour, etc.).
• Staff Leadership and Management
• Ensure open communication channels with relevant stakeholders and the payroll team.
• Promote a company centric and partnership approach to develop strong relationships with other working groups and ensure adherences to Group governance.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate the personal development plans for the payroll team.
• Provide KPIs/goals to the payroll team and ensure performance evaluation reviews are conducted.
• Maintain a high level of performance by engaging in regular and timeous feedback with the team.
• Governance and Risk Management
• Ensure legal and statutory compliance with regards to all payroll activities.
• Ensure that appropriate governance mechanisms are in place and in line with future requirements, i.e., policies, procedures, and reporting structures.
• Develop Service Level Agreements and Standard Operating Procedures for the payroll strategic partnership and service delivery to the business units.
• Manage payroll related risks, through continuous internal and external monitoring of business impact, as well as changes in stakeholder needs.
• Establish and maintain the highest ethical standard in employment practices, including compliance with all statutory requirements in the various operations.
• Ensure that the company is compliant with all company initiatives through conducting regular audits and taking corrective action.
• Actively participating in company internal and external audits.
• Compile, analyse and submit payroll reports as required for business purposes and requirements.
• External Parties and Relationship Management
• Engagements with regulators and key partners to proactively identify and mitigate payroll related risks which may impact the operation financially and reputationally.
• Manage the relationship with external consultants and service providers.
• Ensure all the services are delivered properly, evaluate the performance of consultants, and address any deviations.
• Provide input and contribute to company HC related communications through the relevant channels across the business and externally.
• Manage relationships with all stakeholders and act as a trusted advisor.