Payroll Associate

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PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Payroll Associate is responsible for the operational processing of payrolls for a defined portfolio of clients, primarily low-complexity accounts. The role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery by executing end-to-end payroll tasks independently, while escalating complex issues to senior colleagues. As a key contributor to the payroll service team, the Payroll Associate supports client satisfaction, compliance with local regulations, and continuous improvement of payroll processes. The role also acts as a point of contact for routine client queries and contributes to documentation and standardization efforts. 

KEY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Deliver end-to-end payroll processing for assigned clients, including data input, calculations, validation, and reporting, in accordance with local regulations and internal procedures. 

Ensure compliance with statutory requirements related to tax, social security, and labor laws by applying up-to-date knowledge and following established controls.

Reconcile monthly payrolls and prepare standard reports such as payslip summaries, tax filings, and year-end documentation. 

Maintain accurate and up-to-date client documentation, payroll calendars, and work instructions to support audit readiness and service continuity. 

Manage routine client communication, responding to standard payroll queries and escalating complex or non-standard issues to senior team members. 

Identify opportunities for process improvement and contribute to standardization and automation initiatives within the team.

Support onboarding and informal training of JB1 colleagues by sharing knowledge of procedures, tools, and best practices. 

Adhere to service level agreements (SLAs), quality standards, and internal controls to ensure consistent service delivery. 

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS 

Strong technical knowledge of payroll processes, systems, and local legislation. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables) and experience with payroll systems (e.g., SAP, Visma, Softland, Sage).

High attention to detail and accuracy in processing payroll data and generating reports. Strong organisational and time management skills to meet strict deadlines and manage multiple client accounts. 

Effective communication skills for handling client queries and collaborating with internal teams. Customer service orientation and ability to build trust with clients through reliable and responsive support. 

Problem-solving skills to identify and resolve payroll discrepancies and suggest process improvements. 

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while adhering to standard procedures and controls. 

Commitment to confidentiality and data protection in handling sensitive payroll information. 

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 

End-to-End Payroll Accuracy (%) Definition: payroll runs delivered without post-pay corrections / total payroll runs.  

On-time Payroll Delivery (%) Definition: payrolls delivered by client calendar cut-off / total payrolls. 

Productivity %: Definition: Maintain productivity targets at X% (e.g. 70% to 80%) Reconciliation Completion Rate (%) Definition: reconciliations completed and signed-off by deadline / total required.   

Compliance Error Rate (per cycle or per 1,000 payslips) Definition: statutory/control breaches attributable to processing / volume.   

Client Query Response Time (Avg hours) Routine. Definition: average response time for routine queries within agreed hours.   

Client Query Resolution Rate (%) Definition: routine queries resolved without escalation / total routine queries. 

Documentation & Calendar adherence (%) Definition: % of client packs updated within X days of change; supports audit readiness.   

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS 

Education: Bachelors degree preferred, ideally in Accounting, HR, Business, or a related field. 

Experience: Minimum 2 years of experience in payroll processing, preferably in a shared services or BPO environment. 

Languages: English proficiency at B2 level or higher required; additional languages are an advantage. 

Certifications: Payroll-related certifications (e.g., FPC, national payroll qualifications) are advantageous. 

Other: Demonstrated ability to manage routine client portfolios, apply payroll knowledge in practice, and contribute to team development and process improvement.