Payroll Specialist

Unifi is a fast-growing consumer lending company operating in Zambia, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya. Unifi delivers personal lending products through online, mobile phone, and branch channels.

Role Purpose

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely processing of payroll for all employees across the group. This role involves managing employee data, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and company policies through accurate and timely end-to-end payroll processing. The Payroll Specialist acts as a key point of contact for payroll, benefits, audit, and statutory related inquiries, resolving issues promptly and efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and update employee records including but not limited to new appointments, transfers, terminations, promotions, hierarchy information, role information, employee information, and payroll data.
• Quality assure employee files to ensure all required information is filed and captured accurately prior to executing any payroll transactions.
• Capture all payroll inputs for earnings, deductions, company contributions, and fringe benefits accurately, adhering to instruction documents and company policies.
• Accurately and on time process payroll end-to-end, uploading banking files for processing and filing of all statutory returns.
• Responsible for processing, payment, reconciliation, and reporting of benefits on payroll and third-party systems.
• Ensure payroll and benefits are processed in compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements including tax filing and reporting.
• Release monthly payslips timeously.
• Prepare and distribute reports to relevant stakeholders.
• Reconcile payroll to accounts, budgets, third-party systems etc. and resolve discrepancies.
• Keep up to date with legislation changes impacting payroll processing.
• Assist with internal and external audits.
• Prepare reports in preparations for annual remuneration and bonus cycles.
• Process remuneration changes and bonus payments.
• Ensure all relevant statutory and legally required documents are issued on termination to the employee.
• Calculation of extraordinary items such as severance packages, separation agreements, and applying of any related tax directives.
• Identify discrepancies in people and payroll information and calculations, investigate, report, and resolve issues promptly and accurately.
• Ensure compliance of payroll transactions to company compensation policy, incentive guide, and salary and benefits guide.
• Reconciliation and resolving of variance and exception reports.
• Maintain company organograms through data accuracy.
• Maintain confidentiality and data security for all people and payroll-related information.
• Support business processes by providing payroll and people information e.g. budget cycles, long service data, employee birthdays etc.
• Resolve employee queries regarding payroll and/or benefits timely.

Requirements

• Relevant diploma or degree.
• A minimum of 3 years experience as a payroll specialist.
• Experience in processing payroll in multiple African countries (e.g. Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa).
• In-depth country-specific understanding of statutory and people-related legislation impacting payroll and benefits processing.
• A minimum of 2 years experience on SAGE300.
• Detail-oriented with excellent data entry skills.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Ability to travel in Africa from time to time.