Payroll Specialist

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the review governance and compliance oversight of payrolls across multiple African countries using Sage 300 People. The role provides assurance over payroll accuracy statutory compliance and system integrity while performing ongoing Sage 300 People system maintenance and supporting regional standardisation and control.

Payroll Review & Oversight

• Review monthly payroll outputs for multiple African countries processed in Sage 300 People
• Perform detailed validation and reasonability checks on payroll calculations variances and exceptions
• Ensure payrolls are processed in line with approved inputs policies and country-specific legislative requirements
• Review payroll changes including new hires terminations salary adjustments allowances and deductions
• Provide payroll approval sign-off or recommendations prior to final submission and payment

African Payroll Legislation & Compliance

• Maintain expert knowledge of payroll legislation across African jurisdictions including but not limited to:
  o South Africa
  o Namibia
  o Botswana
  o Tanzania
  o Eswatini
  o Zambia
  o Mozambique
• Validate compliance with country-specific requirements relating to:
  o Personal income tax
  o Social security and statutory contributions
  o Pension provident gratuity and statutory benefits
  o Employment and labour legislation
• Liaise with in-country HR teams and tax advisors to ensure legislative accuracy

Sage 300 People System Maintenance & Administration

• Perform ongoing system maintenance of Sage 300 People to ensure payroll accuracy and legislative compliance
• Configure maintain and review:
  o Earnings deductions benefits and tax rules
  o Country-specific statutory configurations and calculations
  o Payroll calendars pay frequencies and cut-off controls
• Manage system access roles and security in line with governance requirements
• Perform system testing and validation for:
  o Legislative updates
  o Version upgrades and patches
  o Configuration or structural changes
• Investigate and resolve system-related payroll discrepancies and configuration issues
• Maintain up-to-date documentation including SOPs configuration guides and control matrices
• Coordinate with Sage support implementation partners and internal IT teams on system-related matters

Statutory Reporting & Audit Review

• Review statutory submissions and reports prepared for African tax and statutory authorities on a monthly basis
• Validate year-end reporting and employee tax documentation prior to submission
• Support internal and external payroll audits by reviewing system data reconciliations and audit evidence

Payroll Reconciliations & Reporting

• Review payroll reconciliations between payroll outputs and general ledger postings
• Validate payroll journals across multiple entities and currencies
• Review standard and ad-hoc payroll reports for completeness and accuracy
• Provide payroll data and insights to support financial reporting budgeting and forecasting

Stakeholder Support & Advisory

• Act as a payroll subject-matter expert to HR Finance and management
• Provide guidance on complex payroll legislative and system-related matters
• Support resolution of escalated payroll queries and disputes
• Ensure confidentiality and ethical handling of payroll and employee data

Governance Risk & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain strong payroll governance controls and audit trails within Sage 300 People
• Ensure compliance with internal policies segregation of duties and data protection standards
• Identify control gaps risks and improvement opportunities within payroll processes
• Contribute to regional payroll standardisation and shared services initiatives

Qualifications / Experience

• Diploma or Degree in Payroll Human Resources Finance or a related field
• Payroll certification (SAIPA SAPA CIPP or equivalent) advantageous
• 5-10 years payroll experience including multi-country African payroll review or oversight exposure
• Strong hands-on experience with Sage 300 People including system configuration and maintenance
• Experience in a regional shared services or governance-focused payroll environment

Key Competencies

• Sage 300 People (review configuration controls reporting system maintenance)
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills for payroll analysis and reconciliations
• Understanding of multi-currency payroll environments
• Payroll audits statutory review and financial controls
• High attention to detail and strong control mindset
• Strong analytical and risk-based review skills
• Ability to interpret and apply multi-country legislation
• Professional communication and stakeholder advisory skills
• High ethical standards and confidentiality
• Ability to work independently under pressure