HR Operations Specialist

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Job Summary
The HR Operations Specialist is responsible for executing payroll administration, managing statutory compliance as this applies to South African employment related legislation, and improving people systems and processes.

Core Areas of Responsibility

Payroll
•Prepare and administer the end-to-end staff and contractor payroll cycle.
•Process and reconcile third-party payments, including SARS remittances, employee deductions, and garnishee orders.
•Maintain payroll records and conduct annual payroll reviews.
•Compile documentation and gather supporting evidence in preparation for payroll audits.
•Compile and submit quarterly and annual payroll reports.

General HR
•Coordinate and facilitate salary benchmarking and the end-to-end recruitment and selection process for new hires.
•Prepare and issue offer letters and contracting agreements for new hires and consultants.
•Maintain role profiles and organograms.
•Administer performance evaluation, salary increase, and bonus cycles.
•Manage staff retention agreements.
•Administer the employee wellness programme.

Statutory compliance
•Prepare and submit SARS returns (IRP5, EMP201, and EMP501) and resolve associated queries.
•Compile and submit B-BBEE pre-audit reports; provide executive-level input on skills development and management control planning and forecasting.
•Compile and submit the SETA Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR), providing executive-level input as required.
•Complete and submit COIDA declarations and EEA1 returns in accordance with statutory deadlines.
•Draft statutory correspondence, compile B-BBEE audit evidence, and support verification processes.

Ongoing improvement
• Execute the insourcing of payroll operations and drive integration with the finance function.
• Identify and implement continuous process improvements across HR and payroll operations.
• Manage process automation and digitisation of documents.
• Maintain and update HR policies and procedures.

Other Area of Responsibilities
Bursaries and Internships
• Manage bursary programmes.
• Manage sponsor relationships, overseeing learner intake, progress monitoring, and reporting against contracted service levels.
• Coordinate intern placement and ensure governance compliance.

Volunteer and Honoraria
•Administer volunteer and honoraria contracts, including non-disclosure agreements.
•Manage annual PAYE declarations for recipients.
•Maintain and update the volunteer database.

Minimum Requirements
•5-years demonstrated payroll administration, including end-to-end payroll processing, third-party payment reconciliation, and SARS statutory submissions (IRP5, EMP201, EMP501) in a South African operating environment.
•5 to 7-years of generalist HR experience, encompassing the full employment lifecycle from recruitment through to exit management, including performance management, contracting, and statutory compliance under BCEA and LRA.

Advantageous
• Bachelor’s degree is preferable. Our client recognises prior learning in lieu of a qualification.
•Working knowledge of B-BBEE reporting obligations for skills and management control elements and SETA reporting.
•Active participation in a payroll system migration or insourcing project having contributed to requirements gathering, parallel-run testing, data cleansing, or go-live stabilisation within a recognised payroll platform.

Key Competencies
•Accountability & Ownership — Takes full responsibility for outcomes within scope without requiring escalation prompts. Operates within defined mandates and escalates appropriately when outside them.
•Accuracy & Attention to Detail — Payroll and statutory compliance are zero-tolerance functions. The incumbent must consistently produce error-free outputs under deadline pressure.
•Confidentiality & Integrity — Manages sensitive employee data in compliance with the POPIA. Demonstrates sound professional judgment on matters of employee relations.
•Analytical Thinking — Interprets payroll data, identifies discrepancies, and resolves root causes. Applies structured thinking to compliance queries and audit preparation.
•Stakeholder Engagement — Communicates effectively with executive stakeholders on compliance and reporting matters, and with employees on HR process queries. Can translate technical payroll or statutory content into accessible language.
•Initiative & Continuous Improvement — Proactively identifies process gaps and implements solutions. Does not wait to be directed to improve what is within their mandate.