Job Summary:
- The Payroll Accountant is responsible for administrative, technical and reporting functions in the area of payroll and employee benefits. The incumbent interprets and implements the collective bargain agreements, minimum wage and other company policies as regards to staff emoluments to ensure compliance and ensure staff are correctly paid in time with compliance to contractual obligation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Review timesheets and attendance records and correct inaccuracies
- Ensures the accuracy of payrolls by auditing departmental pay authorizations and verifying deductions from wages. Manages the payment of wages and salaries via the accounting system and prepares periodic payroll reports.
- Ensuring accurate and timely processing of payroll in accordance with local statutory requirements and regulation
- Performing month-end cost accounting close. Oversee the preparation and analysis of cost reports and monthly closing documents
- Responsible for ensuring accurate service costing and posting to the correct profit/project centers, branch locations for accurate reporting and controls
- Maintain current and accurate payroll balance sheet account reconciliations for all payroll transactions
- Reviews payrolls for compliance with the Company policies, minimum wage and withholding laws including KRA regulations for reporting and withholding, Kenyan Labour Law requirements related to payroll practices and recordkeeping.
- Reconciliations and Control: Prepare payroll reconciliations on a monthly basis for all the payroll accounts and provide credible explanations and reasons for all reconciling items.
- Proactively keep up to date with payroll legislation and compliance by interpreting new legislation effectively
- Utilizes the IT provisions to maintain, retrieve and program data for analyses and reports.
- Maintains awareness of current rules and regulations pertinent to payroll, retirement and benefits and ensures the timeliness and accuracy of payroll, insurance premiums and claim payments.
- Recommends changes in payroll policies and procedures.
- Monitors changes in laws and regulations pertaining to payroll which require Company policy changes and notifies management on early adoption.
- Maintains frequent contact with department heads, MIS, Operations ,HR and State agencies.
Principal Outputs of this Role:
- Timely and accurate payroll processing
- Payroll Cost Accounting: Post all KKSL payroll labour costs into the correct departments, cost centres and branch locations for accurate reporting and controls
- Maintain statutory Compliance with statutory bodies regulations and requirements
- Accurate preparation, reporting and submission of payroll information and statistics to management for decision making and ensure employees receive payslips at the end of every month.
- Payroll reconciliations on a monthly basis for all the payroll accounts and obtain credible explanations and reasons for all reconciling items to prevent and detect errors and frauds.
Authority:
- Refer to KK Security Authority Matrix.
Accountability:
- The Payroll Accountant is accountable to the Head of Human Resources – Kenya for the responsibilities stated in this job description and. These responsibilities will be monitored and managed through the mid-year and annual performance review and supported through the monitoring of KPIs.
Competencies:
- Planning, coordination, work monitoring and problem resolution skills
- Ability to outline and communicate effective objectives and action plans
- Good analytical ability and numerical skills
- Demonstrate a high degree of sensitivity, confidentiality when dealing with internal and external customers;
- A go-getter, results oriented with excellent communication and presentation skills;
- Have a high sense of accuracy and attention for detail;
- Have good problem analysis and reporting skills; and
- High moral standing with impeccable integrity
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance related field.
- Professional Accountant (Fully qualified CPA or ACCA)
- Professional / Academic / Experience in Human Resources Management will be an added advantage.
- At least 6 years of practical experience in labour intensive payroll, accounting, employee benefits, financial or statistical records.
- Technical skills in Taxation, accounting and knowledge on employees’ benefits.
- Exceptional Microsoft Excel skills to analyse and interpret data.
