Job Description

Senior Payroll Specialist

Location: Hermon, Western Cape
Salary: R25,000 – R30,000 per month
Industry: Agriculture / Farming
Employment Type: Permanent, On-site

An established agricultural business based in Hermon, Western Cape is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist with a strong HR background to join its team.

This is an office-based position situated on a working farm, so candidates must be comfortable working within a practical farming and operational environment rather than a traditional corporate office setting.

The successful candidate will take responsibility for the accurate and compliant processing of payroll while also providing support across various HR-related functions.

Non-Negotiable Requirements

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements

• Currently reside in Hermon, Riebeek West, Riebeek Kasteel, Saron, Gouda, Porterville, Paarl, Wellington or Malmesbury, or the immediate surrounding area
• Minimum 5 years' solid payroll experience, preferably at senior level
• Sage Payroll experience is essential and non-negotiable
• Must be able to speak Afrikaans
• Must have HR experience/exposure in addition to payroll
• Strong knowledge of South African payroll legislation and statutory requirements
• Own reliable vehicle and valid driver's licence
• Must be comfortable working on-site in an office situated on a working farm

Key Responsibilities

• Manage full end-to-end payroll processing
• Process weekly and/or monthly salaries and wages
• Calculate salaries, wages, overtime, allowances, bonuses, deductions and benefits
• Process new employees, terminations, salary changes, transfers and other employee movements
• Maintain accurate employee and payroll records
• Manage leave, time and attendance information
• Process and reconcile third-party payments
• Complete payroll reconciliations and investigate discrepancies
• Prepare payroll reports for Finance and Management
• Manage statutory payroll requirements, including PAYE, UIF and SDL
• Assist with EMP201, EMP501 and IRP5 processes and submissions
• Ensure payroll remains compliant with SARS requirements and applicable South African labour legislation
• Handle employee payroll queries accurately and confidentially
• Assist with year-end and tax-year payroll processes
• Support internal and external payroll audits
• Maintain strict confidentiality and integrity of employee information

HR Responsibilities

The successful candidate must also have practical HR experience and be comfortable assisting with areas such as:

• Employee onboarding and offboarding
• Employment contracts and employee documentation
• Maintaining personnel files and HR records
• Leave administration
• Employee queries
• HR administration and reporting
• Supporting disciplinary and employee relations processes where required
• Ensuring employee documentation remains accurate and compliant

Skills & Competencies

• Strong numerical ability and exceptional attention to detail
• Excellent payroll reconciliation skills
• Strong working knowledge of Sage Payroll
• Good understanding of South African payroll, tax and labour legislation
• Able to communicate confidently in Afrikaans and English
• Strong organisational and time-management skills
• Able to work independently and take ownership of the payroll function
• Comfortable working to strict payroll deadlines
• Professional, discreet and trustworthy when handling confidential information
• Comfortable working in an agricultural/farm environment

Location Requirement

Due to the location of the business, preference will only be given to candidates currently residing in or around:

Hermon | Riebeek West | Riebeek Kasteel | Saron | Gouda | Porterville | Paarl | Wellington | Malmesbury

This location requirement is essential.

Salary

R30,000 – R35,000 per month, depending on experience and suitability.