Trainee: Payroll Analyst - Nigeria
About Cellulant:
is Africa’s leading payments company, providing seamless, secure and innovative solutions that empower businesses, banks, and global brands to thrive in a fast-changing global economy.
With a presence in over 24 countries and 200+ payment methods across cards, bank transfer and mobile money, our single API payment platform, Tingg, simplifies collections, disbursements, and reconciliations. It processes over 1 million transactions daily for market leaders across sectors such as Airlines, Telecoms, E-commerce, Ride-Hailing, Retail, and Remittances.
By simplifying how people pay and get paid, we drive trust, commerce and scale - and connect companies to their ambitions.
Our Mission:
To deliver seamless, secure and innovative payment solutions for businesses.
Our Vision:
To create a connected world where businesses move money as easily as they share ideas.
Our Story:
Across Africa, payments are more than transactions. They are gateways to prosperity, connecting people, businesses and communities to opportunities and growth.
From enabling a logistics company in Lusaka to pay suppliers across borders, to enabling a hospitality brand in Lagos to scale effortlessly, to supporting an airline in Nairobi to reconcile payments from multiple platforms, Cellulant is the bridge that makes it all possible.
Through trusted technology and customer-centric innovation, we build connections that inspire progress, strengthen economies and transform payments into a tool for progress.
Since our founding in 2003, we've continuously adapted and grown, leveraging our experiences to simplify payments for businesses. We are driven by an unshakable belief that seamless people-centred payments are the key to unlocking prosperity.
Today, Cellulant powers online and offline payment processing, allowing businesses to collect payments, send payouts, and accelerate business growth.
Role Overview:
The Payroll Analyst Trainee supports the delivery of accurate and timely payroll, benefits administration and people data reporting across Cellulant Group entities. The role provides an opportunity to develop practical experience in payroll operations, statutory compliance, benefits administration and people analytics, working closely with the People & Culture and Finance teams on payroll preparation and reconciliation, employee records, routine employee queries and payroll and people reporting.
What You'll do:
Payroll Processing (40%)
- Support the preparation and processing of payroll for assigned Cellulant Group entities.
- Collect, validate and consolidate payroll inputs including employee changes, allowances, deductions and other payroll adjustments.
- Assist with payroll reconciliations and verification of payroll data before processing.
- Support the preparation of statutory deductions, filings and remittances including KRA, NSSF, SHA and other applicable statutory requirements.
- Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation.
- Assist in identifying payroll discrepancies and follow through on resolution with guidance from the relevant team members.
- Support payroll system updates, testing and process improvement initiatives.
Payroll Administration (35%)
- Respond to routine employee payroll queries and escalate more complex matters where necessary.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date payroll records and documentation.
- Prepare regular payroll reports and reconciliations for review.
- Support the provision of payroll and headcount information required for budgeting and forecasting.
- Assist with tracking People & Culture budget utilisation against approved budgets.
- Support payroll audits by preparing required documentation and validating payroll information.
- Work with People & Culture and Finance colleagues to resolve payroll discrepancies and ensure accurate payroll information.
Benefits Administration (15%)
- Support the administration of employee benefits including health insurance, retirement plans and other company benefits.
- Assist with employee enrolments, benefit changes and exits.
- Respond to routine employee questions relating to benefits and eligibility.
- Liaise with benefits providers on routine administrative matters and follow up on outstanding requests.
- Maintain accurate employee benefits information within the HRIS and other relevant systems.
- Support benefits reconciliations and verification of provider invoices.
- Handle employee and benefits information in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.
Payroll & People Analytics (10%)
- Support the preparation of regular and ad-hoc payroll and people reports.
- Assist in analysing payroll costs, headcount, employee movements and other workforce metrics.
- Maintain and update payroll and people dashboards.
- Conduct routine data checks and reconciliations to support the accuracy of people data.
- Assist with preparing workforce information required by People & Culture and business stakeholders.
- Develop practical capability in translating payroll and people data into meaningful insights.
What we are looking for:
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Business Administration, Statistics, Economics or a related field.
- Recent graduate or early-career professional with an interest in developing a career in payroll, HR operations or people analytics.
- Basic understanding of payroll, accounting, HR administration or statutory compliance is an advantage.
- Good numerical and analytical skills.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including formulas and basic data analysis. Knowledge of Pivot Tables and lookup functions is an advantage.
- Exposure to HRIS, payroll or accounting systems through employment, internship or academic work is an advantage.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Ability to work with confidential employee and payroll information.
- Good organisation and time-management skills with the ability to work within established deadlines.
- Willingness and ability to learn quickly and take feedback.
Key Competencies:
- Learning Agility: Demonstrates curiosity, willingness to learn and the ability to quickly develop knowledge of payroll processes, systems and statutory requirements.
- Accuracy & Attention to Detail: Works carefully with numerical and employee data and takes responsibility for checking the accuracy and completeness of work.
- Analytical Thinking: Able to work with data, identify basic trends and discrepancies, and develop capability in payroll and people analytics.
- Operational Discipline: Able to follow established processes, maintain appropriate documentation and deliver assigned activities within agreed timelines.
- Problem Solving: Able to investigate routine discrepancies, ask appropriate questions and escalate issues when support is required.
- Collaboration: Works effectively with People & Culture, Finance, employees and external providers and communicates clearly and professionally.
- Confidentiality & Integrity: Demonstrates discretion and sound judgement when handling sensitive employee, payroll and benefits information.
Why this role matters?
Role Outcomes:
- Accurate, well-validated payroll inputs and reconciliations that support on-time, compliant payroll delivery for assigned entities.
- Reliable preparation of statutory deductions, filings and remittances (KRA, NSSF, SHA and other applicable requirements).
- Well-maintained payroll and benefits records and documentation that stand up to audit and support people reporting.
- Responsive, professional handling of routine employee payroll and benefits queries, with appropriate escalation of complex matters.
- Growing capability in payroll and people analytics, translating payroll and workforce data into practical insight for the team.
Why Work for Us?
At Cellulant, we are more than a payments company: we are bridge-builders. We believe that by simplifying the way people pay and get paid, we are connecting companies to their ambitions, people to opportunities, and Africa to the global economy. Our work goes beyondpayments-it’s about what people, businesses, and communities can do when the movement of money becomes moredependable, seamless,and secure.
Some exciting things about us...
- We have an extensive footprint: We have an office presence in 10 countries, and our products serve 24 countries across Africa, with a global workforce of about 300 employees.
- We believe innovation is at the heart of Fintech:Thousands of market leaders and top enterprises trust our technology to power their payments. Our customers are in various sectors, including financial services, travel and hospitality, telecom, e-commerce, remittance companies, SaaS, and the gig economy.
- We put our employees first: We offer market-related compensation, generous personal time off, and medical and life insurance benefits (markets permitting).
- We seek collaborative builders. At Cellulant, we believe that great ideas happen when we come together. Therefore, we nurture a collaborative work environment that challenges, engages, and empowers each person to contribute to the growth and success of the business.
- We solve for Africa’s digital economy:We’re solving payment challenges on the continent to create opportunities and accelerate economic growth for all of Africa.
- We support a diverse and inclusive workforce: We focus on the growth and development of our employees through well-developed, individualised career paths, ensuring you reach your full potential in a supportive and delivery-oriented environment.
Our inclusivity pledge: At Cellulant, we value the diversity of our people and the customers we serve. We're committed to a workplace where individual differences are recognised, respected and celebrated, and where fairness, dignity and respect guide how we treat everyone. As an equal opportunity employer, we recruit, employ, develop and reward our people based on merit, competence and business need, and we do not discriminate against any employee, worker or applicant on any ground prohibited by the law of the country in which they are employed. We welcome and encourage all qualified candidates to apply and thrive with us.
If you need assistance completing an application, accessing our website, or require reasonable accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact [email protected]/ [email protected].