Regional Payroll Manager – Africa

About the role

Join a leading FMCG organization as the Regional Payroll Manager responsible for shaping payroll strategy across South Africa and multiple African jurisdictions. This high‑visibility position goes beyond transactional processing to drive modernization, risk mitigation, and an exceptional employee experience.

Key responsibilities

• Design, maintain, and continuously improve a robust payroll operating model for South Africa and broader Africa.
• Oversee end‑to‑end payroll processing across several countries, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and financial reconciliation.
• Lead automation, system integration, and continuous‑improvement initiatives in partnership with HRIS and IT teams.
• Ensure compliance with country‑specific tax laws, statutory reporting, labor regulations, and data‑privacy standards such as POPIA and GDPR.
• Partner with Finance to support monthly accruals, reconciliations, and provide analytical insights on payroll costs and headcount trends.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, HR, Reward, and Finance while managing relationships with tax authorities, auditors, and vendors.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a dedicated payroll team, fostering a culture of accountability and service excellence.

Required profile

• BCom degree or a closely related tertiary qualification.
• 8–10 years of progressive payroll experience, including leadership of a payroll team.
• Proven experience managing multi‑country payrolls, specifically South Africa and other African jurisdictions.
• Deep knowledge of payroll legislation, tax structures, and statutory reporting requirements.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to influence payroll strategy across a continent.
• Dynamic, inclusive corporate culture focused on growth and innovation.
• Leadership role with direct impact on operational excellence.