About this role

Payroll Team Lead / Payroll Specialist

Job Type Full Time Qualification MBA/MSc/MA Experience 5 years Location Nairobi Job Field Human Resources / HR

Role Overview Our client seeks an experienced Payroll Team Lead / Payroll Specialist to support an international organisation with responsibility for the end-to-end management and governance of payroll, compensation and benefits administration. The role requires a strong payroll and HR operations professional who can ensure accurate and timely payroll processing, maintain robust controls, manage external payroll providers, support compensation and benefits administration, and drive continuous improvement across payroll-related processes. The successful candidate will operate in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment and will work closely with HR, Finance and external service providers.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and oversee the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring timely and accurate payroll processing.
Develop and manage payroll schedules across internal teams and external service providers.
Review and validate monthly payroll results and prepare payroll sign-off reports in accordance with audit requirements.
Design, implement and maintain strong payroll controls and governance processes.
Manage and oversee external payroll providers, including reviewing and auditing their outputs and performance.
Coordinate payroll-related reporting, regulatory filings, financial reconciliations and benefits reconciliations.
Prepare payroll datasets and reports to support financial reconciliation, budgeting and business planning.
Provide subject-matter expertise on payroll and Compensation & Benefits administration for HR process improvements, policy changes and new C&B initiatives.
Oversee Compensation & Benefits administration, including payroll and leave-management processes.
Act as the first point of escalation for payroll, compensation and benefits matters.
Investigate payroll issues, identify root causes and develop appropriate solutions.
Ensure employee compensation records, allowances, one-time payments and related employee information are accurate and processed within required timelines.
Oversee employee termination and leave-management processes from a payroll/C&B perspective.
Identify opportunities to streamline payroll and C&B processes and improve operational efficiency.
Lead, coach and develop payroll/Compensation & Benefits administrators while promoting a strong service and continuous-improvement culture.

Requirements

Experience

Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in payroll, Compensation & Benefits administration, preferably within an international or multinational environment
People Management: Ideally 2–5 years of team/people management experience

Education

Master’s degree in human resources or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
Professional Qualification
HR or payroll-management professional qualification desirable
HR Systems
Strong Workday experience; Workday certification would be an advantage
Payroll Expertise
Strong end-to-end payroll management and Compensation & Benefits administration
Controls & Compliance
Payroll controls, audit requirements, reconciliations, employment policies and record management
Data & Reporting
Strong data management, analytical, controlling and reporting capability; advanced Excel skills
Process Improvement
Demonstrated experience developing, implementing and improving HR/payroll processes and policies
Stakeholder Management
Ability to work effectively across HR, Finance, external payroll providers and other stakeholders
Leadership
Strong team management, coaching, problem-solving and decision-making capability
Language
Excellent English required; working knowledge of French would be advantageous
Professional Attributes
High level of confidentiality, integrity, professional judgement, organisation and client-service orientation
The experience and qualification requirements above are directly reflected in the client specification.