Job Title: Senior Payroll Specialist / Payroll Administrator
Recruitment Agency: Sagen Advisory Recruitment Company (Recruiting on behalf of a client)
Location: South Africa (Flexible: Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote considered)
Work Arrangement: Onsite / Hybrid / Remote
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: R180,000 to R300,000 per annum (R15,000 to R25,000 per month, negotiable depending on experience)
Company Description
Our client is an established, forward-thinking accounting and consulting firm operating across the UK, Cape Town, and Mossel Bay. Renowned for combining national and international expertise with a personalized, high-touch approach, the firm simplifies financial operations for businesses of all sizes—ranging from large enterprises and entrepreneurs to contractors and individuals. By delivering market-leading innovation in technology, systems, and uncomplicated advice. They make accounting and payroll seamless and accessible.
Job Summary
The Senior Payroll Specialist will take full ownership of assigned end-to-end payroll processes, client onboarding, and technical payroll execution. Reporting directly to the Payroll Reviewer and Client Manager, this role combines hands-on processing in BrightPay, strict deadline and budget oversight, and active collaboration across department workflows to ensure flawless payroll delivery across local and international client portfolios.
Duties and Responsibilities
Full Payroll Ownership: Manage assigned client payrolls end-to-end, from initial data collation through to final submission, ensuring total accuracy and adherence to schedule.
Client Onboarding & System Setup: Lead the onboarding of new payroll clients, compiling comprehensive information lists for review and accurately setting up client profiles on BrightPay.
Deadline & Budget Management: Monitor client-specific pay run deadlines and track processing time against allocated client budgets, proactively flagging overruns or delays to the Client Manager.
Issue Escalation & Risk Control: Promptly identify and escalate missing data, client delays, or technical discrepancies to the Reviewer and Client Manager to ensure seamless client communication.
Quality Assurance & Compliance: Align all payroll runs with internal departmental guidance, templates, statutory regulations, and process documentation.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Payroll Reviewers (for technical checks and feedback) and Client Managers (for client relationship alignment) to deliver a high-touch service experience.
Qualifications and Experience
Education: Completed Diploma or Degree in Payroll Administration, Human Resources, Accounting, or a related field.
Experience: Minimum of 3 to 5 years of full-function payroll administration experience within an accounting firm, payroll bureau, or professional services environment.
Systems Proficiency: Practical, hands-on experience using BrightPay software is highly advantageous, along with strong working knowledge of MS Excel.
Legislative Knowledge: Up-to-date working knowledge of payroll legislation, tax tables, and statutory submission requirements. Exposure to UK or cross-border payroll is beneficial but not essential.
Work Arrangement: Flexibility to work Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote based on operational agreement.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a meticulous, highly organised payroll practitioner with strong accountability and time-management skills. You possess exceptional communication abilities, allowing you to escalate risks early and collaborate effectively with internal leadership and international teams. Driven by accuracy and process compliance, you thrive in structured environments where budget efficiency and client satisfaction go hand-in-hand.
