International Payroll Coordinator | Associate at Kontak Recruitment

• A growing international organisation operating across legal, finance and global payroll services is expanding its international payroll team. The business works with a diverse client base spanning multiple countries, delivering payroll processing, compliance and advisory services. Alongside those offerings, the team handles HR and employment law coordination, working closely with in-country specialists and partners across Europe and beyond to ensure that every payroll outcome is accurate, compliant and on time. This is a fully remote role based in South Africa, with genuine cross-border exposure from day one.
• This is not a high-volume processing role. Think of it more as the central nervous system of an international payroll operation, where your value lies in keeping multiple moving parts aligned, making sure nothing slips through the cracks, and knowing exactly when to act, when to escalate and when to loop in a legal specialist. The successful candidate will collate and quality-check payroll data, manage client communication over email and Teams, liaise with in-country partners across European markets, and coordinate HR and employment law matters including terminations that carry strict country-specific requirements. Local legislative expertise lives with the in-country specialists, so the focus here is on execution, coordination, judgement and client outcomes.

Minimum Requirements

• A relevant qualification in accounting, finance, tax or payroll is required
• CIMA, SAIPA, AGA or CA qualification is advantageous but not essential
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in accounting, payroll or a closely related field, broadly equivalent to a newly qualified SAIPA clerk
• Prior hands-on experience with payroll processing, including preparing payroll journal entries
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and comfort working with detailed data and documentation
• Exposure to payroll systems and payment tools or platforms is advantageous
• Experience working with international clients or cross-border processes is a plus
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English
• Comfortable working independently in a fully remote environment
• Ambitious, with a genuine interest in building a long-term career in international payroll

Key Responsibilities

• Process payroll payments for international clients accurately and on time using relevant payment tools and payment files
• Understand payroll calculation structures including employee tax, employer tax and statutory requirements across different countries
• Check payroll data and payment files for completeness before processing
• Prepare journal entries to account for payroll transactions accurately
• Communicate with clients over email and Teams to gather required information and follow up on missing details
• Answer client questions on international payroll matters, escalating complex legislative questions to in-country specialists as needed
• Liaise with local in-country partners across European and other international markets to gather and confirm payroll-related information
• Filter and route information appropriately between clients, partners and the legal team
• Help interpret and explain country-specific HR and employment law requirements to clients in plain, practical terms
• Apply sound judgement to identify when matters, particularly around terminations, need to be escalated to legal or a specialist
• Keep clear, organised records of client communications and payroll processing steps
• Support project management of international payroll portfolios across multiple countries and partners
• Communicate proactively when deadlines or processing agreements are at risk
• Build relationships with wider payroll, tax and legal teams across the organisation