Senior Payroll Specialist

Location: Remote - Open to candidates across Africa About Leap29 Leap29 is a global workforce solutions business supporting organisations with international payroll, Employer of Record, entity establishment and global expansion services. As our Global Payroll business continues to grow, we are looking for an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to support the implementation and ongoing delivery of multi-country payroll solutions across the African continent. The Role The Senior Payroll Specialist will play a key role in the implementation, operation and continuous improvement of Leap29's payroll services across Africa. You will be responsible for supporting new payroll implementations from discovery through to go-live, as well as managing accurate and timely monthly payroll delivery across multiple African jurisdictions. The role requires someone who is comfortable working across different countries payroll regulations, systems and client requirements, while maintaining a strong focus on accuracy, compliance and service delivery. Key Responsibilities Payroll Implementation Lead and support the implementation of new payroll projects across multiple African countries. Gather, review and document payroll requirements, policies and country-specific payroll rules. Support payroll discovery, configuration, testing, parallel payrolls and go-live activities. Review and validate payroll calculations and system configuration during implementation. Develop payroll calendars, processes and operational procedures for new payrolls. Work closely with clients and internal project teams throughout the implementation lifecycle. Identify implementation risks, data gaps and dependencies and ensure these are addressed ahead of go-live. Support User Acceptance Testing and payroll reconciliation prior to production. Payroll Operations Manage the end-to-end monthly payroll cycle across multiple African countries. Process and review payroll inputs including salaries, allowances, bonuses, deductions, overtime, leave and other payroll components. Perform detailed payroll validation and reconciliation before payroll approval. Ensure payrolls are delivered accurately and in accordance with agreed payroll calendars. Review payroll outputs including payroll reports, payslips, statutory deductions and payment information. Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies and calculation queries. Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation. Support payroll year-end and statutory reporting requirements where applicable. Maintain a strong understanding of payroll legislation and statutory requirements across relevant African jurisdictions. Systems & Data Operate payroll, HRIS and global payroll technology platforms. Manage payroll data uploads, downloads and system interfaces. Review and manipulate payroll data using Excel and other data tools. Support payroll system configuration, testing and process improvements. Identify opportunities to automate payroll processes and improve efficiency. Maintain strong data quality and information security standards. Support the continued development and use of Leap29's global payroll technology. Client Service Act as a senior payroll contact for assigned clients and payrolls. Participate in payroll implementation and operational client meetings. Clearly explain payroll calculations, processes and country-specific requirements. Manage payroll queries through to resolution. Proactively identify risks or issues that could impact payroll delivery. Build strong working relationships with client HR, payroll and finance teams. Ensure payroll services consistently meet Leap29's standards for accuracy, responsiveness and service. Experience & Skills Essential Minimum 3 years' professional payroll experience . Demonstrable experience working with payrolls across multiple African countries . Experience implementing new payrolls or supporting payroll implementation projects. Experience managing recurring monthly payroll processes from input through to final reconciliation. Good understanding of African payroll legislation, taxation, social security and statutory payroll requirements. Experience using payroll software and HRIS platforms. Strong Microsoft Excel skills and confidence working with large volumes of payroll data. Experience performing payroll reconciliations and identifying calculation discrepancies. Ability to manage multiple payroll calendars, priorities and deadlines simultaneously. Excellent written and spoken English. Comfortable working remotely within an international team. Desirable Experience managing payroll across several regions of Africa, including Southern, East, West and Central Africa. Experience with multinational or global payroll environments. Experience working directly with international clients. Experience implementing or operating cloud-based payroll and HR technology. Experience with payroll integrations, data mapping or system migration projects. French language capability would be advantageous. Professional payroll, accounting or HR qualification. What We Are Looking For We are looking for someone who is more than simply a payroll processor. You will be able to understand how a payroll should operate, identify when something does not look right and take ownership of resolving it. You will be comfortable moving between implementation projects and live payroll operations and will have the technical knowledge and confidence to work across different African payroll environments. You should be: Accurate – payroll requires exceptional attention to detail. Accountable – comfortable taking ownership of payroll delivery. Analytical – able to interrogate payroll data and identify discrepancies. Technology focused – comfortable learning and using new payroll and HRIS platforms. Client focused – able to communicate complex payroll matters clearly and professionally. Adaptable – comfortable operating across different countries, legislation and payroll requirements. Proactive – able to identify risks and resolve issues before they affect payroll delivery. Why Join Leap29? This role provides the opportunity to work within a growing international payroll business and play an important part in expanding Leap29's payroll capability across Africa. You will work on a variety of multi-country payroll projects, combining payroll implementation, technology and ongoing payroll operations while supporting international organisations with increasingly complex global payroll requirements.