Senior Payroll Accountant

Position/Employment type:

Senior Payroll Accountant, Tanzania

Organization/Reporting line:

Financial Controller -Tanzania

Place of work/Travel:

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Contact and Cooperation:

Internally: Financial Controller, Head of Finance, Human Resources Staff, Operation administrators (Time Sheet staff), Finance and MIS.

Externally: Government agencies, Financial Services, Insurances and Pension Schemes administrators.

Job Summary:

Senior Payroll Accountant is responsible for administrative, technical and reporting functions in the area of payroll and employee benefits. To manage the administration of compensation and benefits policies, procedures and programs. They Analyze, evaluate and implement the compensation and benefit program ensuring that it is in line with the companies’ policies and benchmarked with relevant legislation.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Ensures the accuracy of payroll 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. 
2. Reviews payrolls for compliance with the Company policies, minimum wage and withholding laws including TRA regulations for reporting and withholding, Tanzania Labour Law requirements related to payroll practices and recordkeeping.
3. Maintains personnel and pay records for Company employees to ensure accurate integration of such records with the payroll and benefit systems. 
4. Administers and interprets all policies and procedures for enforcement of provisions of the, PAYE, NSSF, WCF and other statutory bodies.
5. Prepares analysis for the Head of Finance regarding current cost and expenditures and estimated future requirements for cash flow forecasts.
6. Utilizes the IT provisions to maintain, retrieve and program data for analyses and reports. 
7. 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. 
8. Recommends changes in payroll policies and procedures. 
9. Monitors changes in laws and regulations pertaining to payroll which require Company policy changes and notifies management on early adoption.
10. Maintains frequent contact with department heads, MIS staff and State agencies. 

Principal Outputs of this Role:

Competencies:

1.  Mathematical skills-Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as tax, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. 
2. Reasoning ability- Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

1. Collaborative team member- Exhaust interpersonal skills and ensure one works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals by soliciting input and valuing other colleague’s ideas and expertise.
2. Professionalism & Confidentiality – Should demonstrate professional competence with continuous improvement trainings on financial principles, analytical skills, and statutory regulations. The payroll accountant should uphold confidentiality on all information under his/her custody.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance related field.
• Professional Accountant (Fully qualified CPA or ACCA)
• Minimum of  2 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.