Payroll Operations Partner

Location: Gauteng
Industry: Multinational Organisation
Working Arrangement: Office-based 

My client, a leading multinational organisation is seeking an experienced Payroll Partner to join its HR and Payroll Services team based in Johannesburg.

The successful candidate will take ownership of South African payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely payroll delivery, strong governance, legislative compliance and effective management of an outsourced payroll service provider.

We are looking for someone with strong hands-on South African payroll experience, including direct expatriate payroll processing, Employment Equity reporting, statutory compliance, tax year-end submissions and payroll forecasting.

This is an opportunity for an experienced payroll professional who is comfortable taking ownership, managing complex payroll requirements and working closely with HR, Finance and external service providers.

• Take ownership of the end-to-end South African payroll process, ensuring accurate, compliant and timely payroll delivery.

• Manage and oversee the outsourced payroll service provider, ensuring service delivery, accuracy and adherence to processing deadlines.

• Validate payroll inputs, calculations, reconciliations and final payroll outputs before approval.

• Ensure compliance with South African labour legislation, tax requirements and statutory obligations.

• Process expatriate payroll, including associated tax and compliance requirements.

• Manage employee deductions, third-party payments and employee benefits.

• Manage tax year-end submissions and statutory payroll reporting.

• Take responsibility for Employment Equity reporting and submissions.

• Prepare and review payroll journals, reconciliations and monthly, quarterly and annual reports.

• Manage salary budgeting, payroll forecasting and payroll funding requirements.

• Maintain strong payroll governance, internal controls, audit readiness and standard operating procedures.

• Respond to payroll queries from employees, management and other stakeholders.

• Work closely with HR, Finance and external service providers to improve payroll processes and operational efficiency.

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Payroll, Finance, Human Resources or a related discipline.

• Strong, hands-on experience managing South African payroll operations.

• Proven experience working with outsourced payroll service providers.

• Direct experience processing expatriate payroll.

• Strong understanding of South African labour legislation, payroll tax and statutory compliance.

• Experience managing employee deductions, benefits and third-party payments.

• Experience managing tax year-end submissions and statutory reporting.

• Experience taking responsibility for Employment Equity reporting and submissions.

• Experience with salary budgeting, payroll forecasting and payroll reporting.

• Strong knowledge of payroll governance, controls, reconciliations and audit requirements.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong analytical ability.

• Excellent attention to detail, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.

Should you meet the required skills please respond to this advert