Senior Specialist: Payroll

Job Advert Summary

The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) is South Africa’s only specialist agricultural bank established in 1912, the bank’s sole objective is to serve South African commercial and emerging farmers and bring specially designed financial services within their reach. These services enable farmers to finance land, equipment, improve assets and obtain production credit. The Land Bank provides financial services that have moved with the times and continues to provide services to agri-business and constantly reviews its offerings to ensure that they match the needs of an industry. As change has swept across the sector in South Africa the socio-economic makeup of agriculture has altered, bringing new entrants from historically disadvantaged backgrounds on to the land, these new farmers, facing the challenges of establishing sustainable agri-businesses across the agricultural value chain, Land Bank has been a commercial lifeline offering appropriately designed financial products that facilitate personal and commercial viability in a sector that is vital to the sustainability of South Africa and its people.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To provide shared People & Culture administration and payroll services to the business and take accountability for correct, timeous, and legally compliant capturing and maintenance of employee data. To ensure that the SAP payroll system is configured to comply to statutory and legal requirements. To ensure that employees salaries are paid accurately and timeously.

Key Performance Areas

1. Manage the payroll and administration function

• Manage and perform monthly payroll run processes and address all escalated or unresolved queries
• Manage the monthly required payroll activities and ensure that all employees are provided with timeous, accurate, salary payments compliant with all statutory and applicable legislative requirements
• Manage payroll bank file preparation, validation and secure transmission to ensure accurate and timely salary payments.
• Perform independent review and reconciliation of payroll outputs prior to final approval and payment execution.
• Manage payroll exceptions, escalations and special payroll runs in accordance with approved controls and procedures.
• Implement annual and off-cycle payroll processes
• Reconcile EMP501 and statutory payments to ensure compliance to legislation and Land Bank polices.

2. Governance / Compliance & Risk Management

• Detailed Description (INPUT) KPI (OUTPUT):
• Implement controls to ensure that all findings raised are addressed and resolved.
• Responsible for the Land Bank payroll compliance and governance as per legislation
• Act as a point of contact for any payroll compliance and governance queries
• Liaise with IT to ensure that payroll system is configured appropriately and is compliant to legislations in terms of e.g. TAX, UIF, SDL.
• Maintain segregation of duties across payroll processing, review, payment and approval activities.
• Act as the primary liaison for AGSA, Internal Audit and external payroll assurance reviews.
• Implement and monitor key payroll controls to mitigate operational, financial and compliance risks.
• Oversee Benefits and Employee Tax :
• Oversee and manage the process of disability claims efficiently
• Liaise with the Retirement Fund and Medical aid administrators
• Act as liaison between the employee, the employer and the Land Bank Retirement Fund administrators
• Manage benefits in accordance with policies, procedures and legal requirements
• Reconcile employee tax paid for the year against tax deducted for the year

3. Data Records Management and Payroll Reporting

• Implements an effective HC filing and record keeping system for all HC related information and employee data in accordance with the Land Bank’s policies, procedures and legal requirements
• Ensures that all data and information captured on the SAP Payroll system is complete and correct
• Develop and implement the necessary controls to check accuracy and confidentiality of employee records and archives and HC information is maintained at all times
• Perform any required spot checks to monitor the efficacy of controls
• Address any system or people errors or concerns that cast doubts over integrity of employee data

4. Enhance Administration Processes and Optimisation of SAP Payroll Systems

• Responsible to evaluate the system, processes and procedures and identify opportunities for improvement and ensure optimal client service delivery
• Monitor HC administration output and identify continuous improvement measures
• Document critical payroll processes and support business continuity, succession planning and knowledge-transfer initiatives.
• Build and maintain effective stakeholder relations with HC and across the business
• Engage with business owners and HC to understand and test requirement
• Manage the organisational leave system and processes

5. Functional Team Leadership and self-development

• Guide the HC payroll and administration team
• Responsible for the daily operational activities of the team and manage the workload and performance
• Conduct performance review sessions with the GM: Operations and Admin in accordance to policies and procedures
• Track and monitor team performance in accordance with policies and procedure

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience

• Payroll Diploma (NQF 6)
• Human Resources/Diploma (NQF 6)
• 8–10 years' experience in payroll and benefits administration.
• 3–5 years' experience leading payroll operations or providing functional leadership.
• Minimum 5 years' SAP Payroll experience.
• Experience in payroll banking, statutory reporting, governance and audit engagements.

Critical Competencies

• Relevant Policies and Procedures
• Financial Accounting Principles
• Relevant Legislation (BCEA, LRA, PFA)
• PAYE Tax legislation
• SAP Payroll

Additional Requirements

• Knowledge of the Business Environment
• Legislative requirement relating to Payroll – SARS / UIF/ SDL / WCA/ COIDA etc.
• Knowledge of PFMA
• Basic Conditions of Employment Act
• Knowledge of Corporate Governance
• Knowledge of Labour Legislation