Payroll Administrator
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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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.