Location: Sandringham – Johannesburg

Position Type: Fixed term

Purpose of the Job

To support accurate, compliant, and on-time payroll administration across approximately 720 employees in 7 entities, with a strong focus on shift-worker payroll, manual timesheet capturing, statutory compliance, and employee support. The Payroll Administrator provides day-to-day payroll administration assistance, supports the Payroll Officer, and processes designated payrolls / payroll batches on Sage 300 People.

Role and Responsibilities

• Payroll Administration & Processing Support

• Support the Payroll Officer with end-to-end payroll administration across multiple entities and payroll cycles.

• Process designated payrolls / payroll batches on Sage 300 People, ensuring accuracy and complete supporting documentation.

• Load, validate, and reconcile payroll inputs (earnings, deductions, allowances, overtime, shift patterns, leave and ad-hoc payments).

• Ensure payroll deadlines and cut-offs are met; maintain checklists and control files for each pay run.

• Time & Attendance / Manual Timesheet Capturing

• Capture and validate payroll data from manual timesheets (shift rosters, overtime, Sunday/public holiday work, night shift, standby, etc.).

• Verify approvals and follow up with supervisors/managers on missing, late, or inconsistent submissions.

• Apply company rules and agreed rates correctly for shift workers, including overtime and premium pay elements.

• South African Payroll Compliance & Statutory Deductions

• Maintain working knowledge of South African payroll legislation and statutory deductions, including PAYE, UIF, and SDL.

• Assist with maintaining accurate employee master data and payroll documentation for compliance and audit purposes.

• Support payroll reconciliations and statutory reporting as required (e.g., EMP submissions support and related schedules, where applicable).

• Apply tax directives and ensure correct handling of taxable vs non-taxable items in line with internal policies and payroll rules.

• Benefits Administration: Discovery & Alexander Forbes

• Administer medical aid and retirement fund updates (joins, terminations, changes, deductions) and ensure payroll deductions align to provider schedules.

• Liaise with Discovery and Alexander Forbes on membership matters and claims-related administration support.

• Manage all provident fund claims end-to-end

• Follow up and resolve provider and employee queries timeously, ensuring accurate records and documentation are maintained.

• Employee & Stakeholder Liaison

• Act as a first-line contact for employee payroll queries (payslips, deductions, benefits, leave and general payroll guidance).

• Communicate clearly and professionally with staff, HR, Finance, and line management to resolve payroll issues.

• Maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.

• Controls, Records & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain a complete audit trail for payroll inputs, approvals, and changes (digital and physical filing as required).

• Assist with internal/external audit requests by preparing supporting documentation and schedules.

• Support process improvements, especially around manual timesheet controls and shift-worker payroll accuracy.

Qualifications And Education Requirements

• Matric (Grade 12) is essential.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in payroll administration in a medium-to-large payroll environment.
• Proven experience with shift-worker payroll and manual timesheet capturing.
• Working knowledge of South African payroll law and statutory deductions (PAYE, UIF, SDL).
• Experience dealing with Discovery and Alexander Forbes administration and claims support.
• Experience processing payrolls on Sage 300 People (strong preference).

Preferred Skills

• Payroll qualification or certification (e.g., SAPS, IPM, or relevant payroll short courses).
• Experience supporting payroll across multiple entities and cost centres.
• Strong Excel skills for payroll checking and reconciliations (e.g., lookups, pivots).
• High attention to detail and strong numerical accuracy.
• Strong planning and deadline management, especially around payroll cut-offs.
• Clear communication skills and a service mindset for staff liaison.
• Integrity, confidentiality, and good judgement.
• Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple priorities across entities.