About the position
My client is seeking a Head of Payroll at an executive level to be responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of the payroll operations within the organisation by leading the payroll team and payroll operations. Ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, all aspects of compliance within South African labour laws, tax regulations, and statutory requirements. As a subject matter expert in payroll, the Head of Payroll will be expected to drive process improvements, handle complex payroll matters, collaborate with Divisional Operations to ensure Payroll is set up to manage external client requirements and process employee payment.
- Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field. Professional certifications in payroll or related fields (e.g. Payroll Administration, Tax Compliance) – would be advantageous
- 5-7 years’ experience in payroll management with a specific focus on South African legislation and payroll regulations.
- Experience working with DBit and Payspace payrolls.
Payroll Management:
- Oversee the end-to-end Weekly, Biweekly and Monthly payroll process for all payrolls for all employees, ensuring accurate and on-time payroll calculations, deductions, and payments in accordance with Group policy, frameworks, compliance SOPs and SLA’s. Provide payroll commitment and forecasting to Treasury.
- Ensure payroll data is accurately inputted, processed, and reconciled in order to generate payroll reports and analytics for management and finance teams.
- Responsible for high quality and efficient delivery of accounting services within respective processes across Divisional operations within a defined region and thereby enable the organisation to achieve its business goals.
- Manage and maintain the payroll system, ensuring data integrity, system updates, and compliance with data protection laws.
Compliance and Tax Expertise:
- Stay up to date with South African payroll-related legislation, tax regulations, and statutory requirements i.e. Employment Tax Incentive Act (ETI), COIDA, SARS PAYE, UIF, and ensure that all payroll practices adhere to legal guidelines, and payroll taxes are accurately calculated, reported, and remitted.
- Collaboration with Divisional operations as a specialist in managing and maintain Bargaining Councils and Wage negotiations.
Payroll Audit and Controls:
- Establish and maintain robust internal controls to ensure payroll accuracy and compliance.
- Conduct regular departmental audits to verify data integrity and compliance with regulations.
- Manage multiple internal and external Audits and ensure remedial processes are put in place for any audit findings Process Improvement.
- Continuously review and optimise payroll processes to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.
- Implement best practices and automation to streamline operations.
- Address payroll-related queries from employees promptly and accurately.
- Provide excellent customer service and ensure payroll inquiries are resolved in a timely manner.
Stakeholder Management:
- Collaboration with Human Resources Business partnering, Finance and Divisional Operations to ensure seamless integration of payroll data and address any payroll-related matters effectively.
- Oversee relationships with external payroll service providers, third parties and software vendors, ensuring the quality and reliability of outsourced payroll services.
Leadership and Team Management:
- Lead and manage the payroll team, providing guidance, training, and support.
- Foster a positive work environment and promote continuous learning and professional growth.
- Participate as custodian and support in people enablement projects.
Desired Skills:
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Service Orientation
- Human resources software
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
