South Africa: GLOBAL PAYROLL SPECIALIST – Cape Town posted by Elev8

GLOBAL PAYROLL SPECIALIST – Cape Town, South Africa (or Remote)

Highly Competitive Package on Offer!

Location: Cape Town, South Africa (Hybrid or Remote)
Package: Highly Competitive | Global Exposure | Dynamic International Environment

Our client, a prestigious international investment firm, is seeking a skilled and culturally astute Global Payroll Specialist to oversee and optimise payroll operations across multiple countries, currencies, and legal entities.

If you have a passion for precision, thrive in complexity, and enjoy collaborating with diverse teams across the globe, this is the ideal opportunity for you!

Key Responsibilities

• Manage monthly payroll processing across 5 entities, including contractor and secondee payrolls in 9 countries and 6 currencies.
• Support annual remuneration reviews, including salary adjustments, bonuses, and incentive calculations.
• Upload, validate, and reconcile payroll data with the Company’s global payroll provider.
• Prepare multi-currency bank payment files and ensure statutory compliance in each jurisdiction.
• Partner with HR, Finance, and Legal teams to ensure payroll alignment for employees working under work permit, visa, or secondment arrangements, maintaining compliance with local employment and immigration regulations.
• Collaborate with HR to support Employment Equity (EE) Act compliance, including accurate payroll data for EE reporting, pay gap analysis, and audit preparation.
• Ensure seamless integration between HR, Payroll, and Finance systems to support audit and compliance requirements.
• Partner with Finance on payroll journals, reconciliations, and statutory filings.
• Manage payroll-related queries and act as the main contact for external payroll providers, local authorities, and Employer of Record (EoR) partners.
• Maintain accurate remuneration records and ensure compliance with internal policies and global regulatory standards.

Qualification, Skills, and Experience Required

• Degree in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline (postgraduate qualification advantageous).
• 5+ years’ experience managing multi-country, complex payrolls, ideally within investment, asset management, financial services, or consulting environments.
• Strong understanding of tax frameworks, employment legislation, and Employment Equity requirements across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Experience supporting payroll for expatriates, secondees, or employees under work permit and visa arrangements, including coordination with global mobility or immigration teams.
• Proficiency in global payroll platforms, HRIS systems, and advanced Excel/data analysis.
• Impeccable accuracy and attention to detail, with proven ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of explaining complex payroll issues clearly to non-specialists.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, remotely, and collaboratively across multiple time zones.
• Candidates who are well-travelled or have experience working with international teams will be at a distinct advantage.

To apply for this role, please forward a detailed copy of your CV to Nicole Spamers: *****@*****.co.za AND Andrea Jones: *****@*****.co.za